The Philippine Coast Guard on Wednesday lambasted China’s claims that it allowed Filipinos’ medical evacuation missions within the Philippine territorial waters in the West Philippine Sea. 

PCG spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela called it “ridiculous” as he stressed that China has no right to obstruct the country’s operations within its exclusive economic zone. 

“The claim made by the People's Republic of China that they have permitted a medical evacuation for a sick navy personnel, in order to present themselves as humanitarian while asserting their authority to allow such operation to be carried out in the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone, is ridiculous,” Tarriela said. 

He then defined China’s actions as illegal. 

“This statement further confirms their illegal deployment of vessels within our EEZ and highlights their government's view that the preservation of human life and welfare requires approval,” Tarriela noted, he was pertaining to the PCG’s emergency medical evacuation of a sick navy personnel stationed at the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin shoal, which was obstructed by the China Coast Guard last 7 July.

Tarriela slammed the CCG’s deployment of small vessels to harass the country’s humanitarian mission near the dilapidated military warship. 

“Evidently, the deployment of numerous boats to delay the medical evacuation for hours just shows that they have a low regard for a humanitarian mission,” he said.