Ten people, including eight Chinese nationals, have been arrested on a Philippine-registered dredging vessel operating in Mindoro and Manila Bay, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said today.

The arrests took place in two operations at Navotas Port, north of Manila.

Five Chinese nationals and one Filipino-Chinese were initially detained on September 16, followed by two more Chinese nationals early Tuesday morning.

The vessel, MV Sangko Uno, is owned by Occimin Qiu Development Corporation, based in Abra de Ilog, Occidental Mindoro province. It was engaged in dredging activities in Mindoro and Manila Bay, according to the PCG.

“The seven Chinese nationals and one Filipino-Chinese national have passports and tourist visas, but they did not declare their work on board the dredging vessel,” a PCG statement said.

Two Filipino crew members, the ship’s master and second mate, were also arrested.

All ten individuals were undeclared on the vessel’s crew list, the coast guard added.

The suspects are being held at a Coast Guard detention facility for booking and medical examination before charges are filed.

The nature of the charges was not immediately specified.

The arrest occurs amidst ongoing tensions between the Philippines and China over territorial disputes in the West Philippine Sea.

The Philippine government has been increasingly vigilant about unauthorized foreign presence in waters within the country’s jurisdiction.

Photos courtesy of the Philippine Coast Guard