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AFP Condemns China Coast Guard After Sailor Injured At Ayungin Shoal
SCREENGRAB FROM AFP
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has condemned what it described as another aggressive act by the China Coast Guard (CCG) in Ayungin Shoal after a Philippine Navy sailor was injured during an encounter on Monday.
In a statement released on July 20, the AFP said a China Coast Guard rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) carrying eight personnel from vessel CCGV 21560 approached the BRP Sierra Madre at close range while it was conducting operations in Ayungin Shoal.
According to the military, the Chinese vessel circled the area and took photos and videos, prompting two AFP rubber boats to calmly and non-confrontationally move it away from the vicinity.
The situation escalated when, the AFP said, China Coast Guard personnel allegedly struck a Philippine Navy serviceman on the head with a wooden baton.
The incident left the sailor injured and also damaged one of the Navy’s rubber boats operating within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ), where the country exercises sovereign rights under international law.
The AFP said the Western Command immediately provided medical attention to the injured personnel and is coordinating with the BRP Sierra Madre to assess the extent of the injuries and determine whether medical evacuation will be necessary.
Military officials warned that the latest confrontation puts the safety of Filipino personnel at risk and further heightens tensions in the West Philippine Sea.
Despite the incident, the AFP said its troops remained professional and followed the Rules of Engagement while carrying out their lawful mission.
The military also stressed that it will continue its rotation and resupply operations in Ayungin Shoal and vowed not to be intimidated by acts of aggression.
"The AFP remains steadfast in protecting the country's sovereign rights and jurisdiction. Our lawful presence and sustainment operations in Ayungin Shoal will continue. No act of coercion or aggression will deter us from carrying out our constitutional mandate or exercising the Philippines' lawful rights in the West Philippine Sea."
The AFP also called on the People's Liberation Army and the China Coast Guard to stop what it described as illegal, coercive, aggressive, and deceptive actions in the West Philippine Sea, urging them to comply with the 2016 Arbitral Award, which upheld the Philippines' maritime entitlements under international law.
The latest confrontation comes amid continuing tensions between Manila and Beijing over competing claims in the South China Sea, particularly around Ayungin Shoal, where the BRP Sierra Madre has served as the Philippines' military outpost since 1999. Philippine officials have repeatedly maintained that the country's activities in the area are lawful and conducted within its exclusive economic zone as recognized by the 2016 Hague arbitral ruling, which China continues to reject.
In a statement released on July 20, the AFP said a China Coast Guard rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) carrying eight personnel from vessel CCGV 21560 approached the BRP Sierra Madre at close range while it was conducting operations in Ayungin Shoal.
According to the military, the Chinese vessel circled the area and took photos and videos, prompting two AFP rubber boats to calmly and non-confrontationally move it away from the vicinity.
The situation escalated when, the AFP said, China Coast Guard personnel allegedly struck a Philippine Navy serviceman on the head with a wooden baton.
The incident left the sailor injured and also damaged one of the Navy’s rubber boats operating within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ), where the country exercises sovereign rights under international law.
The AFP said the Western Command immediately provided medical attention to the injured personnel and is coordinating with the BRP Sierra Madre to assess the extent of the injuries and determine whether medical evacuation will be necessary.
Military officials warned that the latest confrontation puts the safety of Filipino personnel at risk and further heightens tensions in the West Philippine Sea.
Despite the incident, the AFP said its troops remained professional and followed the Rules of Engagement while carrying out their lawful mission.
The military also stressed that it will continue its rotation and resupply operations in Ayungin Shoal and vowed not to be intimidated by acts of aggression.
"The AFP remains steadfast in protecting the country's sovereign rights and jurisdiction. Our lawful presence and sustainment operations in Ayungin Shoal will continue. No act of coercion or aggression will deter us from carrying out our constitutional mandate or exercising the Philippines' lawful rights in the West Philippine Sea."
The AFP also called on the People's Liberation Army and the China Coast Guard to stop what it described as illegal, coercive, aggressive, and deceptive actions in the West Philippine Sea, urging them to comply with the 2016 Arbitral Award, which upheld the Philippines' maritime entitlements under international law.
The latest confrontation comes amid continuing tensions between Manila and Beijing over competing claims in the South China Sea, particularly around Ayungin Shoal, where the BRP Sierra Madre has served as the Philippines' military outpost since 1999. Philippine officials have repeatedly maintained that the country's activities in the area are lawful and conducted within its exclusive economic zone as recognized by the 2016 Hague arbitral ruling, which China continues to reject.
Jul 20, 2026
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