Filipino sailor recounts how thumb was torn off in South China Sea clash

Facundo told the hearing he lost his thumb after it became caught when a Chinese boat slammed into his vessel, adding that corals were also hurled at Filipino troops stationed on the Sierra Madre.

He said the Chinese coastguard towed the Filipinos’ boats away from the shoal and seized their belongings, including mobile phones and firearms. His medical evacuation was delayed due to their inflatable boats being intentionally punctured to stop them resupplying and boarding the Sierra Madre, Facundo said.

Manila has lodged a diplomatic protest over the stand-off and raised the issue with Chinese envoy Huang Xilian, Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said on Wednesday.

There were signs that China wanted to lower the temperature in the hotly contested waterway, according to the Southeast Asian nation’s National Security Council, which called on the Marcos administration to be “realistic” when holding talks with Beijing.

Jonathan Malaya, the agency’s spokesman, said official and non-official channels were being used to resolve issues in the disputed waterway, GMA News reported.