Philippines says Chinese coast guard assaulted its vessels with water cannons for a second day

By JIM GOMEZ
Associated Press

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Philippine coast guard says the Chinese coast guard has assaulted three Philippine vessels with water cannon blasts and rammed one of them, causing serious engine damage. A spokesman says the incident happened Sunday off a disputed shoal in the South China Sea just a day after a similar incident at another shoal. The spokesman says that in the latest assault, Chinese vessels confronted two Philippine navy-operated supply boats and Philippine coast guard escort ships that were enroute to deliver food and other supplies to Filipino forces stationed at Second Thomas Shoal. On Saturday, the Chinese coast guard and accompanying ships trained water cannons on three Philippine fisheries vessels to prevent them from approaching Scarborough Shoal. Both nations claim the shoals.