Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 13) — Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said China was likely uncertain that he was on board the wooden boat that came under the Chinese Coast Guard’s water cannon attack while on the way to a resupply mission in Ayungin Shoal on Sunday.
He said he was wearing civilian clothing and covered with a face mask on board the Unaizah Mae 1 when Chinese maritime forces conducted dangerous maneuvers and fired water cannons at them.
“Mukhang may suspetsa sila because they were asking for my whereabouts, but sa tingin ko hindi nila alam na nandun ako kaya ganun ang taktika na ginawa nila,” the military chief said in an interview on Tuesday.
“Although hindi naman ako natakot, but really nakakagalit. And nakakaawa sa mga crew ng Unaizah May. Every time nagre-resupply sila, they have to go through that experience,” he added.
[Translation: They had an inkling I was on board because they were asking for my whereabouts. But I think they didn’t know I was there that’s why they deployed that tactic. I wasn’t scared but I was upset. I feel bad for the crew of Unaizah Mae because they experience that during resupply missions.]
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Brawner boarded Unaizah Mae on Dec. 9 so he can visit the troops who will be spending the holidays on the grounded BRP Sierra Madre.
He recalled that during the initial part of the trip they were shadowed by Chinese Coast Guard, Navy ships, and maritime militia. He added that Beijing’s forces started to cut their boat in an attempt to deter them.
“Nung ‘di kami mapigilan, finally nag-water cannon sila then binunggo nila kami. So kabaliktaran sa sinabi nila na tayo bumunggo sa kanila. We will not do that kasi maliit tayo,” Brawner said.
[Translation: When they couldn’t stop our trip, they hit us with the water cannon then rammed us. That is the opposite of their claim that we hit them. We will not do that because our ship was a lot smaller.]
National Security Council Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya earlier said the incident doesn’t constitute an “act of war” even if the AFP chief was on board the ship.
Brawner also refuted China’s claim its maritime vessels exercised restraint and acted professionally when they blasted water cannons and fired sound alarms, saying the videos of the incident will prove Beijing was lying.
Despite China’s attempts to block the resupply and rotational mission, Brawner was able to reach BRP Sierra Madre to share a Christmas meal and bring gifts from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
Christmas convoy
The AFP chief said he believes China deployed more vessels to harass Philippine ships because it found out about the civilian convoy of group “Atin Ito” over the weekend, noting that he witnessed at least 45 of Beijing’s ships in Ayungin alone.
“Naniniwala kami na hindi lang ro-re (rotational and resupply mission) ang pinaghandaan nila, but they were also preparing for the Christmas convoy kasi na-announce earlier na dadaan doon,” he said.
[Translation: We believe it wasn’t only for ro-re, but they also prepared for the Christmas convoy that was announced earlier.]
RELATED: China deployed largest number of ships to block recent resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal
He said troops will continue to provide support and assistance to other civilian groups that will plan to conduct more missions in the West Philippine Sea.
The Christmas convoy cut short its trip after it was shadowed by Chinese vessels, but the volunteers on a smaller boat were able to deliver 30% of its goods to the community on Lawak Island on the way back to Palawan.
