China harassed Philippine ships doing medical evacuation in Ayungin Shoal
China harassed Philippine vessels performing medical evacuation of a sick soldier from the grounded World War II Philippine Navy vessel in Ayungin Shoal last month, a PCG official said Friday.
Commodore Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesperson in the West Philippine Sea said a PCG High Speed Response Boat (HSRB) deployed from Buliluyan Port on May 19 was blocked by the boats from China Coast Guard while on its way to rendezvous with the Philippine Navy Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB) carrying its sick personnel for immediate medical evacuation.
"During our attempt to bring the PCG HSRB alongside the PN RHIB at the rendezvous point (located at 15.43 nautical miles southeast off northeast entrance of Ayungin Shoal), we were harassed by vessels and small boats from the China Coast Guard through blocking operations," he said.
Tarriela said "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 PN RHIB while transporting the sick personnel."
"The barbaric and inhumane behavior displayed by the China Coast Guard has no place in our society. What should have been a simple medical evacuation operation was subjected to harassment, with the excessive deployment of two China Coast Guard vessels (21551 and 21555), two small boats, and two rubber boats," he said.
In a briefing in Beijing, Foreign Minister spokesperson Mao Ning said: "If the Philippines notifies the Chinese side in advance, we can allow delivery of living necessities to the grounded warship or evacuation of personnel concerned.''
'' However, the Philippines should not use this as an excuse for delivering construction materials in an attempt to permanently occupy Ren’ai Jiao,'' she added.
Despite the challenges posed by the CCG interference, the PN and PCG outmaneuvered them to complete the transfer of sick personnel, ensuring their safe arrival at Buliluyan Port, said Tarriela.
Tarriela said the sick AFP personnel was transported to the nearest hospital and received immediate medical attention at 3:14 pm of the same day.
In a previous interview with reporters in Camp Aguinaldo, AFP Chief of Staff Romeo Brawner Jr. mentioned that the second medical evacuation was successful.
"One of our personnel got sick on board the BRP Sierra Madre and we attempted to bring them 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," he said.
"On the second day we were able to complete that medevac with the help of the Philippine Coast Guard so we were able to bring our sick soldier onboard the PCG vessel that transported him to Palawan," he added. Robina Asido/DMS
