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NewsTranscript
00:00Let's update on the situation of the BRP Datu Sandai that was hijacked by China this weekend, live from the West Philippine Sea.
00:07We have on the spot, Ian Cruz.
00:10Ian, how are you there?
00:15Yes, Rafi, in these moments, our vehicle, the BRP Datu Sandai here in the West Philippine Sea,
00:23in particular, it is close to the mainland of Palawan, Rafi.
00:28Just yesterday, we were hit six times by the China Coast Guard and their militia vessel,
00:36and their intense bombing of the water cannons in Kinaroro, Onan, took more than 30 minutes.
00:45And Rafi, what's good is that all the crews of this BRP are safe.
00:50The same goes for the embedded media that we have with us.
00:55And the first thing that hit us, Rafi, was the BRP Coast Guard vessel 21551 of China.
01:04It also hit and passed through last Monday in the BRP Bagakay of the Philippine Coast Guard.
01:09Their 21555 vessel hit us four times.
01:13They are also with the China Coast Guard 3104, which passed through the BRP Cape and Ganyo on Monday.
01:22To those who are asking, Rafi, what is the situation of this BRP Datu Sandai?
01:26It was hit six times by the ship and took more than 30 minutes.
01:30There was almost no time for the Chinese to bomb the water cannons.
01:33Navigation and communication equipment of our ship were damaged.
01:37It was hit by their water cannons.
01:42In the provision area, there is also a broken window.
01:46We tried to fix it but it was already fixed.
01:48But outside, Rafi, you can see the big UP.
01:53This is the most visible of all because of the strong bombing of this China Coast Guard 21555.
02:00The portion inside the portside of Bifar also has a hit.
02:05And on the railings, there is also a broken part.
02:07On the starboard, or the part in front of the ship, there is also a broken part
02:14because of the bombing of the 21555 vessel of the China Coast Guard.
02:19There are also UP in Tambucho.
02:24Other air conditioning units are also not working because of the strong water cannons of the China Coast Guard.
02:33Rafi, in these moments, some of the fishermen here in the West Philippine Sea were hit.
02:40Actually, we were able to talk to them for a while.
02:43Some of them came from a few days ago from Escoda Shoal.
02:48They were hit by the China Coast Guard.
02:52That is why now, they are being given crudo by Bifar.
02:57And they are thankful that they were given crudo because they are really having a hard time in their operation here in fishing
03:06because they are moving from place to place.
03:09That is the reason why the cost of their fishing is increasing.
03:14Yesterday, before we were hit and bombed by the China Coast Guard,
03:17the fishermen from Batangas were also given crudo by BRP Datu Sandai.
03:25They were given about 2,000 liters of diesel.
03:29Rafi, they also told us that they were also taken away by the China Coast Guard that night before we arrived there.
03:38They were taken away to Escoda Shoal and they were told that it is a territory of China.
03:44Rafi, that is the latest from the West Philippine Sea.
03:47Ian, the stark contrast is huge.
03:50The difference is that 3 weeks ago, I was also there but we were allowed to go there.
03:54The fishermen went inside Escoda Shoal and they were given crudo there.
03:59So, it is a huge change that you were not allowed to go inside and the fishermen were told to leave.
04:04What is the news? What has changed?
04:06Why are the Philippine vessels being stopped from entering Escoda Shoal?
04:15Well, Rafi, one of the game-changers there is that BRP Teresa Magbanwa of the Philippine Coast Guard is in Escoda Shoal or Sabina Shoal.
04:27Of course, China is accusing that the vessels are semi-agground and they are not leaving there.
04:36But BRP Datu Sandai is doing this.
04:41They are sending help to the fishermen.
04:45Rafi, even the fishermen are being affected by the Chinese Coast Guard.
04:53There are a lot of floating assets there.
04:56When we were there, Rafi, we counted that there are about 6 Chinese Coast Guard vessels that we can see.
05:04There are also Chinese Navy and other militia vessels.
05:12When we were in Pagasa Island, we counted that there are about 24 militia vessels.
05:18Rafi, those ships are huge.
05:23That's why we can see that they are gathering the Sabina Shoal so that we can't enter there.
05:31But Rafi, when we were in Rorore Mission going to Ayungin Shoal,
05:37the Sabina Shoal is the only area where the Coast Guard vessels and our Navy vessels are being blocked.
05:44But now, it's a different situation.
05:47Sabina Shoal is now the second Ayungin Shoal because it's only 20 nautical miles away
05:55that the Chinese Coast Guard vessels are blocking and encircling us.
06:03Obviously, they are very aggressive now.
06:05We can even see in your video that their militia ships are now clinging to our Coast Guard ships and Bifar ships.
06:13They didn't do that before.
06:15The only ships that are clinging to our Coast Guard ships are the Chinese Coast Guard ships.
06:20Let's go back to the incident yesterday.
06:22You told us about the situation while you were being attacked by water cannons.
06:25How did you feel?
06:27Because the Coast Guard ships of the Philippines are reinforced.
06:32The Bifar ships are not light.
06:34Even though the air con units are made of metal.
06:38But you said that even the reinforced Bifar ships are still damaged.
06:45Well, Rafi, at a certain point, we were really nervous.
06:49Because we saw that their ships are really fast and they are directly hitting us.
06:56That's why here in the railing, we are really clinging to them.
06:59We said that we can do it.
07:01That's right.
07:02But at one point, the ships are really clinging to us.
07:06But that's just temporary.
07:07But what really changed is that they opened their water cannons.
07:13At first, only one ship opened its water cannon.
07:16But after that, almost five ships opened their water cannons.
07:20And they are doing it one by one.
07:22That's why we are going in and going out.
07:25Eventually, we are all inside.
07:29Because they are almost opening their water cannons at the same time.
07:33At the same time, the 2-1-5-5-5 ships are still hitting us.
07:37That's really it, Rafi.
07:38There were so many ships that hit us.
07:41I counted about four.
07:43The 2-1-5-5-1, which also hit the BRP Bagacay of the Coast Guard.
07:48It was the first ship to hit our starboard side, Rafi.
07:53I think the longest ship was the 2-1-5-5-1.
07:56Because we almost all covered there.
07:57We experienced being chased and hit by the 2-1-5-5-1 of the China Coast Guard.
08:02Thank you very much and take care there, Ian Cruz.
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