China Coast Guard tried to block evacuation of sick soldier at Ayungin — AFP

MANILA, Philippines — Apart from snatching airdropped supplies, the China Coast Guard or CCG also tried to stop the evacuation of a sick soldier from Ayungin Shoal to Palawan last month.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines said this incident happened earlier than the rotation and resupply (RORE) mission to the BRP Sierra Madre on May 19.

According to the military, the CCG was able to block the first medical evacuation attempt. A second attempt, aided by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) the following day, was successfully carried out.

“One of our personnel got sick on board the BRP Sierra Madre and we attempted to bring (him) back to Palawan so that he could be treated. Unfortunately, during the first attempt of bringing our soldier out of the Second Thomas Shoal or Ayungin Shoal, they were blocked by the Chinese so we were not able to complete the medical evacuation,” said Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., the Armed Forces chief.

The incident adds to the long list of Chinese harassment of Philippine vessels in the West Philippine Sea with the latest involving the May 19 RORE that saw CCG personnel in inflatable boats competing to retrieve food and supplies airdropped to troops stationed at the Sierra Madre.

Brawner denied accusations that the military pointed their guns at the Chinese but admitted that soldiers manning the old grounded but active warship of the Philippine Navy are armed and have the right to defend themselves guided by the rules of engagement.

“Because of that intent of the CCG to get our supplies, they came very close to the BRP Sierra Madre and from the point of view of our soldiers, this pose a danger, a threat because they were too close. That is why there were videos, there were images of our soldiers carrying their guns. But again, I’d like to emphasize they did not point their guns to the Chinese. We follow the rules of engagement and our soldiers know that,” Brawner stressed.

Rep. Robert Ace Barbers branded the interception of food supplies as a “barbaric act.”

“Its acts are barbaric and has no place in an already civilized world,” Barbers said as he condemned in strongest terms the latest attack on Filipinos protecting the West Philippine Sea.

“The latest uncalled for barbaric and inhumane attacks by the trespassers that are all caught on video deserve the highest condemnation from the international community. It did not only show unprovoked aggression, it placed the lives of our people in grave danger,” Barbers added.

The Surigao del Norte second district congressman urged the Marcos administration to file protests, which should not be limited to diplomatic note verbales but rather criminal complaints before international bodies.

“It was worse than the illegal water cannon aggression because it was almost like a hand-to-hand combat with our personnel scrambling to get back the air-dropped supplies for the Sierra Madre that were snatched by the Chinese, unmindful of their own safety,” Barbers said.

He added that the heroic act of Filipinos “deserve the highest commendation from our government” as they “risk their lives to bring food supplies to their fellow Filipinos and uphold the interest and honor of the country against all odds.”

Barbers strongly urged the President, “through the appropriate departments and agencies, to initiate the filing of criminal complaints before international bodies with jurisdiction over such criminal behavior.”

“We should not let this pass,” he said. — Michael Punongbayan, Delon Porcalla, Emmanuel Tupas