The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) downplayed a video released by China showing the towing of Philippine vessels near the BRP Sierra Madre (LS57) at Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
According to PCG spokesperson for the WPS Commodore Jay Tarriela, the footage published by Chinese media outlet Global Times appears to be from the June 17, 2024 resupply mission, where a Philippine Navy personnel lost a finger after Chinese vessels rammed boats transporting supplies to troops stationed on the grounded BRP Sierra Madre.
“Is it worth responding to? I mean it already happened. This is actually an old video. I don’t really know what’s the motivation of the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) why they released this old video,” Tarriela said.
Footage shown to the public on Friday showed CCG personnel confronting Filipino soldiers during the resupply mission.
Citing China Bugle, a media account affiliated with the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) news media center, the Global Times claimed CCG personnel blocked Philippine resupply boats from “infringing” Ayungin Shoal and towed the resupply boats “in just six minutes.”
Tarriela said China appeared to have dug up their own grave in resurrecting the old video of the violent June 2024 resupply mission, as it once again stirred up conversations about the CCG’s aggressive law enforcement operations.
