PCG SAYS CHINA VESSELS BLOCKED, RAMMED PH BOAT ON MEDICAL EVAC, SWEDEN HITS ‘DANGEROUS MANEUVERS’ IN WPS

By Junex Doronio

MANILA — Calling the acts “barbaric” and “inhumane behavior”, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea (WPS) Commodore Jay Tarriela on Friday (07 June 2024) revealed with matching videos that China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels and boats had blocked and rammed Philippine boats performing medical evacuation in the contested waters.

“Despite informing the Chinese Coast Guard via radio and public address system about the humanitarian nature of our mission for medical evacuation, they still engaged in dangerous maneuvers and even intentionally rammed the Philippine Navy Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat,” Tarriela said in a statement.

Although the incident took place on May 19, the PCG released videos of it only on Friday (07 June 2024).

The PCG noted two China Coast Guard vessels 21551 and 21555, two small boats, and two rubber boats during the medical evacuation.

There was no comment from the Chinese Embassy in Manila as of posting time.

Tarriela said the PCG and Philippine Navy successfully outmaneuvered the foreign boats and vessels and completed the medical evacuation of the sick Filipinos to Buliluyan Port.

He disclosed that the sick individual was a member of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) who was deployed at BRP (Barko ng Republika ng Pilipinas) Sierra Madre, a Second World War-era ship that was deliberately grounded in 1999 in Ayungin Shoal during the administration of then President Joseph “Erap” Estrada.

“At 1515H on 19 May 2024, the sick AFP personnel was transported to the nearest hospital and received immediate medical attention,” Tarriela said.

Meanwhile, Sweden’s defense minister Pal Jonson has denounced the series of dangerous maneuvers against Philippine vessels in the West Philippine Sea.

He said such acts put human lives at risk and undermine regional peace and security.

Speaking before Sweden’s National Day reception Thursday (6 June 2024) night, Jonson, who was in Manila for an official visit where he met Philippine counterpart Gilberto Teodoro and other officials to bolster bilateral defense and security ties, said such actions are a threat to global security, stressing that safety at sea “must be respected at all times.”

It can be recalled that in 2016, an international arbitration tribunal in the Hague said China’s claim over the West Philippine Sea has no legal basis, but Beijing refused to honor the decision until today.

(el Amigo/MNM)