BRP Antonio Luna sustains ‘superficial’ damage during Malaysia drills

BRP Antonio Luna releasing bullfighter chaffs during a drill (2023) off Zambales in the West Philippine Sea —INQUIRER.NET/JOHN ERIC MENDOZA

MANILA, Philippines — One of the Philippine Navy’s most modern warships sustained “superficial” damage during its drills in Malaysia last month, a navy spokesperson said on Tuesday.

Navy spokesperson Capt. Marissa Arlene Martinez said the incident involving guided-missile frigate BRP Antonio Luna happened on Aug. 27 during the Malphi-Laut Exercise 2025 at the Lumut Naval Base in Perak state.

Martinez said the damage occurred in its port side (left part) freeboard or the distance between the waterline and the upper main deck of a ship.

The official said BRP Antonio Luna is now en route back to the country, and that the Navy will soon conduct an assessment of the damage.

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“When she was carefully maneuvering in a narrow space, and I would like to highlight a narrow space … it incurred superficial damage to its freeboard,” Martinez said of BRP Antonio Luna said in a regular  military press briefing.

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“When I say superficial damage, I mean to say it’s [in the], outermost portion of the surface of the freeboard,” she added.

Despite this, Martinez said Antonio Luna remains mission-capable “and was able to participate in all events.”

The drills of Manila and Kuala Lumpur were held from Aug. 27 to 29.

“I would just like to highlight the commanding officer is very competent and a seasoned surface warfare officer,” Martinez said.

“We’ll just wait for the facts and the analysis,” she added.

Commissioned in 2021, the BRP Antonio Luna is a South Korean-built frigate with 2,600-ton gross displacement.

It is the second ship of the Jose Rizal class of guided missile frigates equipped with missiles, torpedoes, launchers and weapon systems for anti-air, anti-surface, anti-submarine electronic warfare operations.

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BRP Antonio Luna has been routinely patrolling in the West Philippine Sea in a bid to deter Chinese presence in the western section of the country’s exclusive economic zone.

Beijing claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea but the landmark international ruling effectively dismissed this in favor of Manila’s sovereign rights. /cb