📷PCG Commodore Jay Tarriela answers questions from Palace reporters on Friday, June 21, 2024.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) underwent a grueling 12-hour rescue mission to retrieve injured Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) personnel from BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal last Monday, June 17.
In an interview with Palace reporters on Friday, June 21, PCG Commodore Jay Tarriela said Chinese Coast Guard and People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLA Navy) vessels conducted “dangerous maneuvers and harassment” against them which hampered their operations.
Tarriela said the Coast Guard learned about the injured personnel as early as 10:00 am.
Two vessels, BRP Cabra and BRP Bagacay, were deployed to the area to launch their Rigid-Hulled Inflatable Boats (RHIBs) following reports of damage to an AFP RHIB during the resupply mission.
The PCG had two main objectives: first, to retrieve the damaged RHIBs towed by the Chinese Coast Guard, and second, to conduct a medical evacuation for the injured Filipino personnel.
While the damaged RHIB was retrieved by noon, the rescue of the injured personnel wasn’t completed until around 10:30 pm.
“Despite our coordinating efforts to the Chinese Coast Guard to retrieve the injured AFP personnel, we were still subjected to dangerous maneuvers and harassment,” said Tarriela.
Tarriela added that the PCG RHIBs had difficulty maneuvering and convincing their Chinese counterparts to allow the rescue.
The PCG clarified that there were no explicit instructions from the Chinese Coast Guard prohibiting the rescue. However, radio communication between the two parties revealed that the Philippine Coast Guard took the initiative to inform the Chinese of their intent to conduct a medical evacuation.
Commodore Tarriela emphasized that the main challenge for the PCG was securing the safe passage of the injured personnel to Palawan for medical attention.
Reports, citing the Armed Forces of the Philippines, said eight Filipinos were injured in Monday’s incident.
The Philippine military condemned China’s actions as a “brazen act of aggression” and an “act of piracy.”
China, however, denied these allegations, claiming the maneuvers were “professional, restrained, justified, and lawful.”
Beijing continues to disregard a 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated its extensive claims in the South China Sea, a decision won by Manila. (TCSP)
