AFP pics show China Coast Guard wielded bladed weapons at Filipino troops

The Armed Forces of the Philippines has released photos of members of the China Coast Guard brandishing bladed and pointed weapons at Filipino troops on a routine rotation and resupply mission to the Ayungin Shoal on Monday.

One of the pictures showed a CCG personnel with a pick axe allegedly threatening a Filipino soldier.

The AFP on Wednesday night also released pictures of the damage suffered by a Philippine vessel in the mission.

"The China Coast Guard's coercive, aggressive, and barbaric actions during the humanitarian rotation and resupply mission at BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal on June 17, resulted in severe damage to AFP vessels, including their communication and navigation equipment," the AFP said.

"CCG personnel were also caught on camera while brandishing an assortment of bladed and pointed weapons threatening to injure AFP troops," it added.

"The core issue remains the illegal presence and activities of China within our jurisdiction. The continued hostile behavior of the CCG is what escalates tensions in the area," the AFP said.

In one of the shared photos, the AFP said that the windshield, communications, and navigational equipment were “intentionally destroyed” by the CCG when they “forcibly towed and looted” its 9-meter Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat during the resupply mission. 

It added that the inflatable boat was deflated and damaged due to “deliberate slashing using machete/bolo, knives, and pikes” by the CCG. 

"Hey, stop! This is our territory," A Filipino soldier shouted as China Coast Guard used physical force, weapons, sirens, and bright lights to prevent our AFP from delivering supplies during a humanitarian mission at BRP Sierra Madre in the Philippine EEZ on June 17th @gmanews pic.twitter.com/1THy7RhhxN

— JP Soriano (@jpsoriano) June 19, 2024

At least seven Filipino soldiers were injured with one of them losing a thumb following a melee with the Chinese personnel after what the AFP called an “intentional high-speed ramming” by the CCG to the Filipino vessels. 

Western Philippine Command chief Rear Admiral Alfonso Torres said that the CCG personnel “illegally embarked” the Filipino vessels. 

The CCG earlier claimed that the Philippine supply ship "dangerously approached" the Chinese ship and ignored Beijing's repeated solemn warnings.

But AFP Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner on Tuesday maintained that the China Coast Guard “has no right or legal authority to interfere with our legitimate operations or damage our assets within our Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).” 

Ayungin Shoal is located 105 nautical miles west of Palawan and is well within the Philippines' 200-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and is part of its continental shelf. —with a report from Joseph Morong/NB, GMA Integrated News