The Armed Forces of the Philippines in a letter to the Chinese government is demanding P60 million for the damage its Coast Guard caused to the equipment of the Filipino sailors conducting a resupply mission in the West Philippine Sea.

AFP Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner Jr. said the letter was forwarded to the Department of National Defense for coordination with the Department of Foreign Affairs before being conveyed to the Chinese government.

Brawner said they also demanded the return of seven firearms the CCG seized during the Philippine Navy’s rotational and re-provisional (RORE) mission on 17 June. The firearms were disassembled and contained in gun cases.

The AFP chief said the CCG intentionally destroyed their equipment.

The P60 million doesn’t include the medical expenses of Seaman First Class Underwater Operator Jeffrey Facundo who lost his thumb when the CCG rammed the Philippine boats.

“We are also looking at the possibility of charging them for the cost of restructuring Facundo’s hand. He needs an operation to make his right hand functional again,” Brawner said.

The general affirmed the military would continue to conduct RORE missions, specifically the critical operations to supply the troops stationed aboard the BRP Sierra Madre, a Philippine Navy ship serving as the country’s military outpost at Ayungin Shoal.

“We have presented to the President several operations the Armed Forces of the Philippines will be conducting, not just the RORE missions, but other operations in the West Philippine Sea,” he said.

Brawner refrained from disclosing specifics of the operations, citing national security.

“Of course, we cannot divulge the specific actions we will take, but rest assured the Armed Forces of the Philippines, alongside the Philippine Coast Guard, BFAR, and other government agencies, will undertake specific actions,” he said.

Brawner said the government will also closely engage with the fishermen affected by China’s bullying in the Philippine waters.

“This will be a whole-of-nation approach that we are going to apply,” he said.