OCCIDENTAL MINDORO, Philippines – The captain of the sunken Philippine F/B Gem-Ver belied China’s claims that the Chinese fishing vessel tried to help them but Filipino boats “besieged” the bigger vessel.

“Kami-kami lang ang nandoon. Kami-kami lang. Wala namang ibang bangka doon. Kami lang doon. Kami lang dahil noong gabing ‘yun [lumubog] nga kami, kami pa ang aatake?” Junel Insigne told Rappler in an interview at the Philippine Coast Guard Headquarters in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro on Friday evening, June 14.

(We were the only ones there. We were the only ones. There were no other boats there. It was only us. It was only us because that night, we sank, so how could we also attack?)

Insigne is the captain of FB Gem-Ver, which left for a fishing expedition to Recto Bank (Reed Bank) in the West Philippine Sea on May 29. They were supposed to stay at sea for at least 15 days, but a Chinese fishing vessel rammed its rear open on the 12th day, June 9, and left the boat and its crew to sink. (READ: AFP: Chinese vessel’s sinking of PH boat ‘far from accidental’)

The Filipinos were then rescued by a Vietnamese fishing boat. (INSIDE STORY: How Filipino crew were saved by Vietnamese in West PH Sea)

China on Friday admitted a Chinese vessel was involved in the incident and claimed that it approached the sinking boat to help but was “besieged by 7 or 8 Filipino fishing boats.” Insigne denied China’s claim.

He repeated what he has been saying ever since the encounter happened: A Chinese vessel assaulted them and left them to sink.

“Talagang binangga nila kami. Kung talagang kami’y tutulungan n’yo, dapat hindi sila tumakbo palayo. Eh nakitang lumubog, tumakbo sila palayo, pinatay pa ang ilaw para hindi makilala, para hindi makita,” he said.

(They really rammed us. If they really tried to help us, they shouldn’t have sped away. They saw us sinking, they left, they even turned off their lights so they wouldn’t be identified.) – Rappler.com

Read stories related to the incident:

• Chinese vessel sinks Philippine boat in West PH Sea ‘collision’
• Sinking of Filipino vessel ‘a first’ in Philippines-China row
• TIMELINE: Skirmishes, standoffs, harassment in West Philippine Sea
• Hold China accountable, Del Rosario says after sinking of PH boat
• AFP: Chinese vessel’s sinking of PH boat ‘far from accidental’
• Panelo says possible for PH to cut ties with China over boat sinking
• Locsin hits ‘collision’ of Philippine, Chinese vessels
• Locsin on PH boat sinking: ‘Fuck the international community’
• Philippines asks China to sanction Chinese crew of vessel in collision
• LOOK: Philippine fishing boat sunk by Chinese vessel in West PH Sea
• ‘Not a friend’: Netizens hit China over sinking of Philippine boat
• Owner of PH boat sunk by Chinese ship: ‘I only ask for justice’
• Lorenzana now unsure if Chinese vessel sank Philippine boat
• China calls sinking of Philippine boat an ‘ordinary maritime accident’
• WATCH: How alleged Chinese ship sank Filipino fishing vessel in West PH Sea
• 3 speeches in a row, Duterte silent on Chinese ship sinking PH vessel
• China envoy vows probe into Philippine boat sinking
• WATCH: Crew of Philippine vessel rammed by Chinese ship on their way home
• Occidental Mindoro town mayor to Duterte: Let’s speak out against China
• Navy rebuffs China: PH boat sinking ‘not normal accident’
• Lacson, De Lima call for punitive action vs China and its fishermen
• Wives wait in limbo for fishermen of sunken vessel to come home
• Captain of abandoned PH boat: I’m sure Chinese ship sank us
• Recto Bank: Why China covets what belongs to the Philippines
• Crew of sunken Philippine boat now home
• Arroyo defends Duterte response to Philippine boat sinking
• INSIDE STORY: How Filipino crew were saved by Vietnamese in West PH Sea
• China claims ship ‘besieged by 7 or 8 Filipino boats’
• U.S. hits intimidation at sea after Philippine boat sinking