Photo by Armed Forces of the Philippines -Public Affairs Office AFP
MANILA, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has condemned the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) for what it describes as “pirate-like” actions during a confrontation at Ayungin Shoal. AFP Chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. detailed that CCG personnel, armed with bolos, spears, machetes, and knives, threatened unarmed Philippine Navy soldiers during a rotation and resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre.
According to the AFP, the Chinese forces illegally boarded Philippine boats, seizing seven rifles, puncturing inflatable boats, and destroying communication equipment and engines. Despite being outnumbered and unarmed, Naval Special Operations Group (NAVSOG) personnel resisted the Chinese aggression, Brawner stated in a press briefing in Palawan.
The incident, which occurred on June 17, saw Filipino sailors fighting back with bare hands as CCG personnel pointed knives at them. Brawner likened these actions to piracy, criticizing the illegal boarding and equipment seizure.
This escalation prompted the Philippine Navy to deploy its newest missile-equipped patrol gunboat, the BRP Laurence Narag, in response to recent sightings of Chinese warships passing through the Basilan Strait and the Sibutu Strait without coordination. These movements, monitored over the past two months, highlight ongoing tensions in the South China Sea.
