China Coast Guard hits PH Navy member with baton at Ayungin Shoal, AFP says

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Monday accused the China Coast Guard (CCG) of clubbing a Filipino Navy personnel with a baton as they approached a grounded Philippine vessel, the BRP Sierra Madre, in the West Philippine Sea. The AFP stated that CCG personnel, aboard a rigid-hull inflatable boat with eight men, circled and took photos and videos of the BRP Sierra Madre, which serves as a Philippine garrison on the flashpoint Ayungin Shoal (Second Thomas Shoal). "The [Chinese Coast Guard] personnel reacted violently and aggressively by striking a Philippine Navy personnel on the head with a wooden baton, causing injury and damaging the Navy rubber boat," the AFP said in a statement. The military condemned the actions as "illegal, coercive, aggressive, and deceptive." It added that these aggressive actions demonstrate a blatant disregard for safety, endanger the lives of its personnel, and escalate tensions in the West Philippine Sea. The AFP affirmed its commitment to protecting the country's sovereign rights and jurisdiction, stating that its 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," it added. The Department of National Defense also condemned the incident, calling it part of a "clear pattern of provocative and hostile behavior" by the Chinese coast guard. China claims almost the entirety of the South China Sea, despite an international ruling that its assertion has no legal basis, and has frequently clashed with Philippine vessels in the area. The latest clash occurred amid an ongoing war of words between China and the Philippines over their South China Sea claims. Last week, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs filed a diplomatic protest over a "racist" video posted by Chinese state media, which China denied was made by its government. The DFA also condemned China's action, stating that "any act of violence against Filipino personnel is unacceptable and will merit the appropriate diplomatic action." Progressive group Akbayan slammed the incident, describing it as an "act of barbarism." "This was a deliberate and violent assault by agents of the Chinese state against Filipino servicemen carrying out a lawful mission within Philippine waters," said Akbayan president Rafaela David. She added that the incident is an attack on Philippine sovereignty, national dignity, and the norms upheld by civilized nations. Information Source: GMA News Philippines