'Damaged' BRP Antonio Luna back in PH after Malaysia exercise

Guided-missile frigate BRP Antonio Luna, which has been damaged during its deployment for a bilateral exercise in Malaysia, is back in the Philippines, according to a Navy spokesperson Friday.

“We had the arrival ceremony yesterday in Naval Operating Base Subic,” Philippine Navy spokesperson Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad told reporters in a forum.

On Tuesday, Philippine Navy spokesperson Captain Marissa Arlene Martinez said BRP Antonio Luna was damaged during the MALPHI LAUT 2025 in Malaysia on August 27.

“After the harbor phase was the sea phase already. So, when she was carefully maneuvering in a narrow space, and I would like to highlight a narrow space, unfortunately, it incurred superficial damage to its freeboard,” she said.

“When I say superficial damage, I mean to say it's an outermost portion or outermost portion of the surface of the freeboard and that is in the left side, port side,” she added.

Trinidad said an initial repair was already done on BRP Antonio Luna but the assessment of the damage is still ongoing.

“We don't only look at the cost, kasi cost is inherent. It's a fixed expense for us. Kahit na walang damage, kapag gumalaw yung barko, may fixed cost tayo dyan,” he said.

(We don't only look at the cost, because the cost is inherent. It's a fixed expense for us. Even if there is no damage, when the ship moves, we have a fixed cost there.)

“So, more importantly, what we will look at is na-impede ba ang operational capability ng barko. And sa nakita naman natin, nakauwi naman siya from Malaysia. So apparently, operationally, hindi siya naapektuhan,” he added.

(So, more importantly, what we will look at is whether the operational capability of the ship was impeded. And as we saw, the ship was able to return from Malaysia. So apparently, operationally, the ship was not affected.)

Asked earlier if the concerned command officer will be reprimanded over the incident, Martinez said it will depend on the assessment.

“Usually, if there's an incident whether it's minor or major, there will always be an assessment and investigation that will be conducted. So, on your question about the commanding officer, we'll just wait for the facts and the analysis,” she said. —VAL, GMA Integrated News