(12 Feb 1996) English/Nat
Naval patrols in the Philippines have seized a suspected foreign pirate ship following a brief chase and clash in Philippine waters.
Navy officials said that troops captured 20 officers and crew members on board the vessel, who investigators believe are from mainland China.
It was the third clash in less than a month between Philippine patrol craft and intruding ships.
Officials of the Philippine navy said Sunday that the military style ship was cornered Saturday night off the coast of Zambales, about 112 kilometres (70 miles) west of Manila or 32 kilometres (20 miles) west of the Subic Freeport.
The ship is presently docked in Manila Bay at the Philippine navy headquarters.
Some sources say the intruding ship appeared to have been operated by off-duty Chinese navy crews, preying on freighters carrying merchandise from Subic, a former U- S naval base.
Navy commanders met President Fidel Ramos and other defence officials Sunday to brief them on the clash.
Philippine naval chief Admiral Pio Carranza told reporters that a Philippine navy gunboat had challenged the vessel after noticing it did not have a flag and registry markings.
He added the authorities were not certain about the nationalities of the ship's crew, adding only that they were "Chinese-looking".
He explained even their identified cards seemed spurious, the pictures not matching their faces.
SOUNDBITE: (In English)
Our boat, this is the patrol killer medium which we recently acquired, challenged this unidentified vessel because it was not flying any flag of registry but instead of answering the challenge, it sped seawards. Then we gave chase and fired a warning shot, this boat answered back.
SUPERCAPTION: Vice Admiral Pio Carranza, Philippine Navy Chief
One patrol boat was hit by small-arms fire from the suspected pirate ship.
Carranza added the ship's crew were seen jettisoning some undetermined cargo before giving up.
Crew members of one gunboat said that when the vessel was challenged, its crewmen raised a Philippines flag but they noticed it was flying upside down.
A navy commander in Zambales said documents taken from the ship's captain bore a red star, suggesting they may have been issued in mainland China.
The Chinese embassy would not comment on the recent incident.
Ties between Manila and Beijing have remained uneasy since Chinese sailors occupied Mischief Reef, an island in the disputed Spratly Islands, last year.
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