Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Romeo S. Brawner gives a media briefing  after the Change of Command ceremonies at the AFP Commissioned Officers Club in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City on July 21, 2023. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File

MANILA -- AFP Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner on Tuesday cautioned the public against Beijing’s efforts to spread misinformation on the developments in the West Philippine Sea, as he noted the need for the Philippine government to counter the false narratives coming from China.

This, as Brawner set the record straight on China’s claim that it had recently "rescued" Filipino fishermen after their boat exploded near Bajo de Masinloc in the West Philippine Sea. 

The AFP Chief said that the fishermen were actually rescued by the Philippine Coast Guard and that the Chinese even hindered the PCG from mounting the medical evacuation.

"Nagkaroon po ng balita na sinasabi ng China na sila po iyong sumagip dito sa dalawang fisherfolks natin – ito po ay fake news at marami pong mga ganiyan na mga fake news na nilalabas ang Tsina," Brawner said.

"At in fact, doon nga po, iyong mga mismong mangingisda na na-rescue natin, sila po iyong nagsabi na hindi nga tumulong iyong mga Chinese na nandiyan lang naman. In fact, sabi nga nila ay pinigilan pa nila iyong mga rescuers natin," he added.

Two Filipino fishermen had suffered second-degree burns following an engine explosion on their fishing boat near Bajo de Masinloc last Saturday. 

There were eight fishermen aboard the boat about 10 nautical miles from Bajo de Masinloc when the explosion happened around 2:00 p.m.

Chinese state media later released videos showing the Chinese coast guard supposedly helping the two Filipino fishermen, but the Philippine Coast Guard said that they actually obstructed the rescue.

The CCG also allegedly warned that they would arrest the fishermen if they did not cooperate.

READ: Boat engine explosion injures 2 Filipino fishers near Bajo de Masinloc

READ: PCG denies China helped Filipino sailors injured near Bajo de Masinloc

Brawner said he stands by the story of the rescued Filipino fishermen.

"Of course. Oho, sila po iyong talagang naaksidente at nasugatan. Pero ang gusto po naming sabihin is that maraming mga ganitong mga fake news na nilalabas po ang China," he said.

"Isang example nito ay noong nagkaroon tayo ng resupply mission iyong nakaraan kung saan po tayo ay hinarass at binully nang todo ng Chinese, kinuha pa nila iyong mga kagamitan natin pati po iyong mga baril natin na naka-encase – hindi po natin sukbit iyong mga baril, naka-case po iyon dahil dinadala natin sa BRP Sierra Madre," Brawner continued.

"And yet, ang propaganda nila o ang kanilang balita is that tayo pa raw ang bumangga sa kanila, tayo pa raw ang nang-harass sa kanila. So, marami pong mga ganito kaya kailangan magmatyag tayo, let’s be vigilant at ang pangkontra natin dito is iyong katotohanan. We counter fake news with the truth."

The Scarborough Shoal has been a potential flashpoint since Beijing seized it from Manila in 2012.

The fish-rich reef is about 240 kilometers west of the Philippines' main island of Luzon and nearly 900 kilometers from Hainan, the nearest major Chinese land mass.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea, brushing off rival claims by the Philippines and other countries, and ignoring an international ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.

To press its claims, Beijing deploys coast guard and other boats to patrol the waterway and has turned several reefs into artificial islands that it has militarized.

— with a report from Agence France-Presse

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