China blocks Phl medical evac: PCG calls incident barbaric, inhumane

Calling it “barbaric and inhumane behavior,” the Philippine Coast Guard slammed China’s obstruction into the country’s medical evacuation of a sick Filipino soldier from the BRP Sierra Madre (LS57) in Ayungin Shoal within the West Philippine Sea. 

In a media interview, PCG spokesperson for the WPS Commodore Jay Tarriela lambasted the CCG’s lack of consideration into the Philippines’ humanitarian mission in its own territory. 

Last week, the Philippines revealed the CCG’s “seizing and dumping” of food supplies meant for the Filipino soldiers deployed at the Ayungin Shoal. 

It was followed by a revelation that the Chinese crew hampered the country’s medical evacuation operation in the area. 

“The mere fact that their intention is to prevent our supplies. The moment we run out of supplies in the BRP Sierra Madre, obviously, it could kill our soldiers, so it just goes to show that whether it’s just an ordinary supply mission or even medical evacuation, they should have more leniency or consideration because this is a humanitarian mission,” Tarriela lamented. 

Tarriela criticized China’s least efforts to ease the tension and further hampering the Philippines’ humanitarian operation. 

“It just goes to show that they really don’t care whether it’s a humanitarian mission or a blatant violation of international law. This doesn’t really concern China,” he said. 

“For them, their intention is really to prevent all means that we can be able to support our personnel on board BRP Sierra Madre,” he added. 

Barbaric, inhumane

On a mission on 19 May, the PCG deployed a high-speed response boat (HSRB) from Buliluyan Port to rendezvous and assist the Philippine Navy’s rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB), conducting a medical evacuation of a sick personnel. 

“During our attempt to bring the PCG HSRB alongside the PN RHIB at the rendezvous point, we were harassed by vessels and small boats from the China Coast Guard through blocking operations,” he said. 

Despite informing the CCG crew, through a radio and public address system, about the Philippines’ humanitarian mission, Tarriela said their counterpart “still engaged in dangerous maneuvers” and “even intentionally” rammed the Philippine 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,” Tarriela said. 

Outnumbered Phl ships

The CCG deployed two of its vessels, two small boats, and two rubber boats in its effort to obstruct the Philippine mission. 

“Their actions clearly demonstrated their intention to prevent the sick personnel from receiving the proper medical attention he urgently needed,” he said. 

Despite being outnumbered by vessels, Tarriela said the PCG and the PN “displayed remarkable cooperation, professionalism, and determination” to “successfully outmaneuver” the six CCG assets and completed the safe transfer of the sick soldier at Buliluyan Port. 

Tarriela said the PCG’s confrontation with Chinese vessels lasted almost one hour. 

“They are actually preventing us from getting near the rigid-hull inflatable boat of the Philippine Navy, but because of our good coordination with the Philippine Navy, we were able to outmaneuver the China Coast Guard vessels and their rigid-hull inflatable boats. That’s why we were able to receive the patient,” he noted. 

“So it just showed how inhumane and unprofessional the China Coast Guard is, despite of the fact that they know that the reason why we are there is a humanitarian mission, and our intention is to conduct a medical evacuation of one personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” he added. 

On Tuesday, AFP chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. said the first attempt to transport the sick soldier failed due to the CCG’s blockage. 

With the assistance of the PCG on the next day, the soldiers successfully fulfilled another attempt to evacuate the sick soldier from the dilapidated commissioned Philippine navy ship.