West Philippine Sea: Filipino sailors fought armed CCGs ‘with bare hands’

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Jun 19, 2024): West Philippine Sea: Filipino sailors fought armed CCGs ‘with bare hands’ (By John Eric Mendoza)

FLAG OF RESISTANCE A fisherman waves the Philippine flag near a “payao” or artificial reef close to Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal in the West Philippines Sea to display resistance to Chinese incursions and to show other foreign vessels passing through the area that these waters are part of the country’s exclusive economic zone. —File photo from BIGKIS

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Philippines — Philippine Navy personnel assigned in the West Philippine Sea resupply mission figured in a fight with bolo-wielding China coast guard (CCG) using their “bare hands.”

This happened despite the presence of firearms inside the Filipino resupply boat bound for BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. revealed on Wednesday.

“With their bare hands, tinutulak nila ang RHIB ng (rigid hull inflatable boats of) Chinese Coast Guard. They were preventing Chinese Coast Guard from hitting them,” Brawner said in a press conference in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.

READ: West Philippine Sea ramming incident could escalate – Pentagon

“Despite the absence of weapons to defend themselves ay lumaban po sila (they still fought),” he noted.

AFP Western Command chief Rear Admiral Alfonso Torres said that the CCG personnel also punctured Filipino’s RHIBs using their bolos.

Torres also confirmed that seven firearms were seized by CCG, but they were “inside gun cases” and were not used during the resupply mission.

Brawner said: “We have arms, but we did not use those. Ayaw po natin magkaroon ng giyera. (We don’t want to start a war.)

During Monday’s mission, a sailor lost his thumb while a number of naval personnel also sustained minor injuries, the AFP confirmed.

CCG rammed, towed, and even boarded Philippine ships, only deeming it as “control measures” in line with its claim of sovereignty in almost the entire South China Sea, including most of the West Philippine Sea.

The claim comes, despite a 2016 international tribunal ruling effectively dismissing its claims stemming from a case filed by Manila in 2013.

https://www.inquirer.net/406766/brawner-filipino-sailors-fought-bolo-wielding-ccgs-with-bare-hands/