BRP Bagacay, the Philippine Coast Guard's (PCG) vessel that has been attacked by the recent water cannoning of the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG), arrived at Pier 13 South Harbor in Manila on Thursday, May 2.
In an interview during Damdaming Bayan, PCG Spokesperson Admiral Armando Balilo said vital parts of the BRP Bagacay have been damaged, including the LED wall that the Coast Guard uses to communicate with fishermen.
"Aabutin ng 2 hanggang 3 milyong piso, itong canopy. Ang mahal dito yung LED wall ito yung ginagamit natin para kapag may announcement tayo sa mga fishermen lalong lalo na kapag may law enforcement operations," said Balilo.
Balilo noted that this was the first time that one of their ships sustained the worst damage from the CCG's attack in the West Philippine Sea.
Asked if China could pay the damages they have done, Balilo said Coast Guard Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan instructed them to immediately repair the damages as they still have many operations to conduct.
"Ang instruction ni Admiral Gavan dito ay iparepair agad dahil marami pa tayong mission na gagawin at ayaw nating pupunta ang barko natin doon na hindi maayos at kulang sa mga equipment."
"Mayroon naman tayong budget para sa ganitong wear and tear ng barko. Ipapaalam natin sa Task Force for the WPS, bahala na sila kung isasama nila ito sa protestang gagawin sa Chinese government," he added.
Among the other damaged parts were the ship's canopy and railings brought by the pressure of the water cannon.
Balilo said that kind of impact can kill a human.
Upon his checking on the involved Filipino seafarers, Balilo said they were worried about what might happen in the future but courageously said that they were ready for the next missions.
On April 30, BRP Bagacay and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessel BRP Datu Bankaw were hit by the CCG’s water cannons while conducting a mission in the Scarborough Shoal.
