Jamaine Punzalan

Article (news)

Bianca Dava

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Tuesday rejected Beijing’s version of the recent <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/20/ph-navy-officer-sustains-head-injury-after-confrontation-with-china-coast-guard-1605">confrontation at Ayungin Shoal</a>, saying videos released by Chinese authorities only showed a portion of the incident and left out what happened before the encounter.</p><p>AFP spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said the footage released by the Chinese Embassy in Manila and a Chinese research network was incomplete and failed to show that China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels first approached the BRP Sierra Madre.</p><p>“What they released was a spliced or incomplete part of the video. If they start at the very beginning, you would see that their ship, their boats came into close proximity of BRP Sierra Madre,” Trinidad told reporters in a Zoom interview.</p><p>“That is already a self-incriminating video,” he added. “If they show the full context of the video that they took, it would be incriminating against them.”</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/21/us-slams-dangerous-china-action-in-sea-clash-with-philippines-navy-0840">US slams &#x27;dangerous&#x27; China action in sea clash with Philippines navy </a></div><p>The AFP official said two CCG boats moved within 20 to 30 meters of the BRP Sierra Madre while taking photos and videos of the Philippine outpost.</p><p>Trinidad said the Philippine Navy personnel aboard rubber boats only moved to push the Chinese vessels away, describing their actions as defensive.</p><p>“The action of our rubber boats was merely to drive them away. It was not confrontational, it was defensive in nature, it was within the rules of engagement,” he said.</p><p>On Monday, July 20, personnel on board a rigid-hull inflatable boat from CCG vessel with bow number 21560 struck Philippine Navy personnel with a wooden baton. Two Filipino sailors were injured in the confrontation. </p><p>Trinidad said one sailor sustained a head injury requiring four stitches, while another suffered bruises on his arm and hand.</p><p>Both remain aboard the BRP Sierra Madre as the Western Command (WESCOM) evaluates whether medical evacuation is necessary.</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/F7m3y2hyWVI?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>‘MADE-UP STORIES’ </strong></div><div><br/></div><p>According to Trinidad, beyond the physical confrontation, China was also attempting to shape public perception through its release of the videos.</p><p>“Ito ay isang attempt nila na bumawi sa information space, sa information domain,” he said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/21/defense-chief-china-provocation-at-ayungin-part-of-a-script-1138">&#x27;Not random&#x27;: Defense chief says latest China &#x27;provocation&#x27; vs PH at Ayungin part of &#x27;script&#x27; </a></div><p>The official linked the move to recent developments that boosted the Philippines’ position, including international support for the 2016 Arbitral Award on the South China Sea.</p><p>“The moment you start changing the narrative, you start coming out with made-up stories, it only shows ang pinapanindigan mo ay mali,” Trinidad said.</p><p>“Ang importante yung aksyon sa side natin are within the bounds of law, domestic and international, and the rules of engagement,” he added.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/21/australia-raises-concern-over-china-s-sea-actions-boosts-philippine-maritime-capabilities-1032">Australia raises concern over China’s sea actions, boosts Philippine maritime capabilities </a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2026/7/21/myanmar-s-future-mideast-fighting-hang-over-asean-talks-1019">South China Sea rivalry looms over ASEAN meeting </a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/16/chinese-state-media-video-depicting-filipinos-as-monkeys-draws-outrage-2223">Racist Chinese state media video depicting the Philippines as a &#x27;monkey&#x27; draws outrage </a></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mKSHlcFBsN8?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-mbwICtlFmc?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Tuesday rejected Beijing’s version of the recent confrontation at Ayungin Shoal, saying videos released by Chinese authorities only showed a portion of the incident and left out what happened before the encounter. </p>

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Tuesday rejected Beijing’s version of the recent confrontation at Ayungin Shoal, saying videos released by Chinese authorities only showed a portion of the incident and left out what happened before the encounter.

AFP: China’s Ayungin footage ‘spliced’, CCG actions ‘self-incriminating’

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AFP: China’s Ayungin footage ‘spliced’, CCG actions ‘self-incriminating’

Bianca Dava,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 21, 2026 02:40 PM PHT

Read More:

China

Philippines

South China Sea

West Philippine Sea

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