CHINA BLOCKING EVACUATION OF SICK FILIPINO SOLDIER IN WPS

Chinese vessels harassing the medical mission of the Philippines (Photo courtesy of Philippine Coast Guard)

Philippine Coast Guard boat transporting sick member of the Philippine Navy from Ayungin Shoal was blocked and rammed by China Coast Guard the PCG revealed on Fridat that the incident took place on May 19.

The Armed Forces chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said, “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.”

“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,” PCG spokesperson for the WPS Commodore Jay Tarriela said in a statement.

On their second attempt, the next day the soldier was successfully evacuated with the help of PCG and Philippine Navy they outmaneuvered the foreign boats and vessels and completed the medical evacuation.

Tarriela called out the moves of China “barbaric” and “inhumane behavior” as well as “excessive deployment” of two China Coast Guard vessels, two rubber boats and two small boats.

Rep. Robert Ace 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.”

Source: ABS-CBN News

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