By Robina Asido

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) revealed that the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) obstructed the medical evacuation of a soldier aboard BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal on Thursday.

Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela, Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, told a press conference on Friday that the medical evacuation of a military personnel from a grounded Philippine Navy ship took over 10 hours due to the interference of the China Coast Guard.

"BRP Cabra is actually in Lawak Island and we arrived at the vicinity of Ayungin Shoal at a distance of nine nautical miles, northern part of Ayungin (and) we were already subjected to water cannon of a China Coast Guard vessel," he said.

"Although it was not a direct hit coming from China Coast Guard 5306, I would like to highlight that China, despite of their awareness that there will be a medical emergency to be conducted, used their Chinese maritime forces to obstruct the medical evacuation of our sick personnel on board BRP Sierra Madre," he added.

Tarriela said the Chinese Coast Guard also deployed a rigid-hull inflatable boat to tail the boat launched by the PCG during the medical evacuation.

"For the entire duration of the medical evacuation we were subjected to harassment of these two China Coast Guard vessels 5306, 21585 and we also saw from the horizon PLA Navy 628," he said.

After the soldier was transferred to BRP Cabra at 5 pm, he was turned over to the Philippine Navy vessel BRP Valentin Diaz at 2 am on Friday.

Retired Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson for West Philippine Sea, said that from the BRP Valentin Diaz, which docked at Naval Detachment Oyster Bay the soldier that was evacuated from BRP Sierra Madre was brought to Puerto Princesa City using a Black Hawk helicopter of the Philippine Air Force.

He said the helicopter arrived at the city around 9:42 am. PHS