The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has successfully conducted medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) of two injured Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) personnel from Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, despite obstruction by China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels.
Acting on the directive of PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil L. Gavan, the PCG immediately deployed BRP Melchora Aquino (MRRV-9702) and BRP Malapascua (MRRV-4403) to conduct a humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR) mission focused on the medical evacuation of AFP personnel injured during the 20 July 2026 incident at Ayungin Shoal.
The two PCG vessels departed on 20 July 2026 and arrived in the vicinity of Ayungin Shoal on the morning of 21 July 2026. The injured personnel were successfully transferred to BRP Melchora Aquino in the afternoon of the same day, where they are now receiving care from a PCG medical officer.
During the MEDEVAC operation, CCG vessels were present in the area. CCG rigid-hull inflatable boats (RHIBs) were deployed and conducted blocking maneuvers against the PCG vessels, hindering the safe retrieval of the injured personnel. Despite these obstructive actions, PCG personnel remained professional and fully committed to completing the humanitarian mission safely and successfully.
One of the injured personnel sustained a lacerated wound in the parietal area secondary to blunt trauma, along with a contusion hematoma on the medial arm. The second injured personnel sustained a lacerated wound on the index finger, also secondary to blunt trauma, with decreased grip strength in the right hand. Both individuals are in stable condition aboard BRP Melchora Aquino.
The Philippine Coast Guard strongly condemns the dangerous and unlawful actions of the China Coast Guard within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. The use of physical violence against Filipino personnel and the obstruction of a humanitarian medical evacuation are clear violations of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the final and binding 2016 Arbitral Award.
True to the commitment of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., the Philippine Coast Guard remains steadfast in fulfilling its mandate to protect Filipino lives and to uphold the sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction of the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea.
