CCG use acoustic device to harass PH ship

A CHINA Coast Guard (CCG) vessel reportedly used a long-range acoustic device (LRAD) to harass a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) ship patrolling the coastline of Zambales on Saturday. Commo. Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesman for the West Philippine Sea, said on Sunday the LRAD was used by CCG 3103 on the BRP Cabra. The crew of the Cabra said they heard a loud, piercing sound from the CCG 3103. Tarriela said it was the first time the Chinese coast guard had used the LRAD, which can project powerful sound waves over great distances. It is typically used for crowd control and can produce pain-inducing levels of sound capable of causing hearing damage. Tarriela said the Cabra had "successfully pushed back" to 90 to 95 nautical miles Chinese ships that were sailing too close to the Zambales coast. He said the PCG vessels also constantly issued radio challenges to the intruding ships. The challenges are not just routine but "firm assertions" that the actions of the CCG violate the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos), and the 2016 Arbitral Award, which definitively rules against China's extensive claims in the South China Sea, Tarriela said. The Chinese coast guard has been trying to keep a presence in Philippine waters. Recently, CCG 3304 was relieved by CCG 3103. Accompanying the CCG 3103 is the CCG-5901, referred to as the "monster ship" because of its huge size.