Duterte says he did not know about Ayungin incident

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte listens to the query from one of the members of the media after delivering his arrival statement at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on June 5, 2018 following a successful three-day official visit to the Republic of Korea. KING RODRIGUEZ/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

Contrary to the statement of his Foreign Affairs Secretary, President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, June 6, said he was unaware of the reported harassment of Filipino troops by Chinese coastguards in the Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal.

In a press briefing held upon his arrival from a three-day official trip to South Korea, the President said, “I don’t know about that incident, I was busy talking to Korean officials.”

“Before I commit myself to answer the question, what kind of harassment was this?” he added.

After a reporter explained to him about the incident that happened in the Ayungin Shoal, Duterte replied, “I have to have a more… Not even… This is the first time I’ve heard of it.”

He added that it would be dangerous for him to respond to the questions without having any idea about the issue.

The President’s latest statement is different from the previous remarks made by Foreign Affairs Alan Peter Cayetano, where he said Duterte gave him “strong instructions” after hearing about the Ayungin Shoal incident.

“We filed a protest regarding that. We had a meeting. The President had strong instructions,” Cayetano told lawmakers in a congressional hearing last week.

It can be recalled that on May 30, Magdalo party-list Representative Gary Alejano disclosed that the Philippine Navy’s (PN’s) LS507 was “challenged and harassed” by the Coast Guard and the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) of China during a “reprovisioning mission” of Filipino troops at the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal on May 11.

“When the Philippine Navy ship launched a rubber boat to resupply BRP Sierra Madre, a chopper of PLAN hovered in a close and dangerous distance. The PLAN chopper was so close that seawater splash entered the rubber boat,” Alejano said.

He further revealed that the Chinese forces were aboard Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) and PLAN ship with bow number 3368 and 549, respectively.

The Ayungin Shoal is well within Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone and is also part of the continental shelf. It lies 105 nautical miles from Philippine island of Palawan.