The newspaper reported that 79 Filipino soldiers received the Kamagi Medal and Seaman First Class Underwater Operator Jeffrey Facundo received the Kampilan Medal, an award given to those “seriously” wounded or injured.
Two days after the incident, the Philippines also released a video showing Chinese Coast Guard personnel wielding an axe, throwing stones and cutting up boats with “sharp and pointed weapons.”
He said they were injured within the clash and one among the soldiers lost his thumb.
Brawner described the incident as a “gross violation of international maritime law, Philippine sovereignty and sovereign rights.”
China, nonetheless, defended the move, with Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian saying it was consistent with the law.
However, this latest move by the Philippines is unlikely to calm tensions within the disputed waters and can likely be perceived as one other provocation by China.
“As we present these medals, we remember that on June 17 we made a conscious and deliberate choice to remain on the path of peace,” Marcos Jnr said throughout the medal presentation, as reported by the Manila Bulletin.
Sari Arho Havrén, an assistant professor on the Royal United Services Institute who focuses on China’s foreign relations, said China wants to alter the established order within the waters “by force” and goals to “exhaust” neighboring countries into succumbing to territorial claims.
