DAMAGE to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) ship hit by a China Coast Guard (CCG) water cannon could reach between P2 million and P3 million in damages.
Commodore Arnaldo Lim, the acting commander of PCG Manila, made this confirmation during BRP Bagacay’s arrival at Cunanan Wharf on Thursday.
Lim said the LED panel took a direct hit during the attack and was completely damaged while the canopy and the railings on the ship’s bridge were also destroyed. Some navigational equipment, like a satellite compass, have also been damaged, he added.
Repairs will start as soon as possible by the Coast Guard Commander Fleet.
The government will shoulder the repair.
Commodore Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, said this is the first time the CCG directly hit a PCG vessel, deeming the recent incident as an escalation.
“This is the first time that we can say that the Coast Guard vessel has been subjected to a direct water cannon with that kind of pressure that even resulted in structural damage,” Tarriela said in a press conference on Wednesday.
PCG ship hit by China water cannon sustained at least P3M in damages
