8 Filipino soldiers hurt, disarmed by Chinese forces in Ayungin Shoal

Eight Philippine Navy (PN) personnel were injured, one seriously, after a violent encounter on Monday with Chinese maritime forces in the waters surrounding Ayungin Shoal, according to a reliable source.

The Filipino soldiers were delivering much-needed supplies to the crew of the marooned BRP Sierra Madre, when their rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) was rammed by a larger Chinese vessel, one of several that encircled them.

Injured and disoriented from the impact, the Filipino crew was unable to prevent Chinese troops from boarding their boat.

“The Chinese boarded the Philippine boat… they (Filipinos) were out of balance because they were rammed. Then a struggle erupted when the Chinese tried to grab the firearms of our troops. In the struggle, the finger of one of our boys got caught on something,” the source explained.

“The Chinese punctured holes in the PN’s RHIB. A total of eight weapons were seized by China,” the source added.

The source further revealed that several other PN vessels involved in the rotation and resupply (RORE) mission sustained damages.

None of them were able to reach BRP Sierra Madre to deliver the supplies.

Meanwhile, the same source said that Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief-of-staff Gen. Romeo Brawner, Jr. planned to visit Palawan as a result of the incident, which his office has yet to officially confirm.

The Standard contacted the military and coast guard for comment but did not get any response.

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