Injured navy man: 'It was no accident'

THE Philippine Navy personnel who lost his thumb during the June 17 Ayungin Shoal incident believes that China wanted to prevent rotation and resupply (RoRe) missions to the beached BRP Sierra Madre to reduce the number of Filipino soldiers manning the post.

Seaman First Class Jeffrey Facundo made the remark on Tuesday at the Senate inquiry on the reported ramming by China Coast Guard (CCG) boats of Philippine vessels on regular RoRe to the BRP Sierra Madre.

«It cannot be described as accident. It was intentional [specifically], the ramming [of our boats],» Facundo said in Filipino.

China had been demanding the Philippines to tow away the dilapidated warship because it sits on its territorial waters.

The Philippines deliberately beached the BRP Sierra Madre in 1999 to serve as a constant government presence in the area, and in response to China's «illegal occupation» of Panganiban (Mischief) Reef in 1995.

Seaman First Class Underwater Operator Jeffrey Facundo narrates the collision between a Chinese Coast Guard ship and a Filipino vessel performing rotation and resupply mission in Ayungin Shoal on June 17, 2024 during the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations' hearing on June 25. PHOTOS BY RENE H. DILAN Seaman First Class Underwater Operator Jeffrey Facundo narrates the collision between a Chinese Coast Guard ship and a Filipino vessel performing rotation and resupply mission in Ayungin Shoal on June 17, 2024 during the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations' hearing on June 25. PHOTOS BY RENE H. DILAN Seaman First Class Underwater Operator Jeffrey Facundo narrates the collision between a Chinese Coast Guard ship and a Filipino vessel performing rotation and resupply mission in Ayungin Shoal on June 17, 2024 during the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations' hearing on June 25. PHOTOS BY RENE H. DILAN

Sen. Imee Marcos, chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, asked Facundo why the CCG would do what it did.

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Facundo said, in his view, the intention was to prevent PN personnel from conducting the RoRe mission to BRP Sierra Madre.

«They don't want [us to conduct] RoRe, rotation [of soldiers] in Ayungin, ma'am. They prevented us from boarding