Three former Philippine Navy (PN) ships that have been retired from service were found half-submerged in a shipyard in Cavite after they became casualties of Severe Tropical Storm Paeng, the Philippine Navy (PN) disclosed Sunday night, Oct. 30.
The three vessels depicted as half-submerged at the Naval Station Pascual Ledesma in Cavite City during an aerial inspection were identified as former Philippine Navy ships BRP Rajah Humabon (PS11), BRP Sultan Kudarat (PS22), and BRP Cebu (PS28), said PN spokesperson Commander Benjo Negranza.
"As depicted in the picture, they are located in the Navy's Graveyard Dock where all decommissioned vessels are temporarily berthed until final disposal," Negranza said.
"These former PN vessels have served the country well during their time and has exploits worthy of being written in the annals of the country's military history," he added.
Based on Navy records, former BRP Humabon (PS11) was decommissioned on March 15, 2018; former BRP Sultan Kudarat on July 5, 2019; and former BRP Cebu on Oct. 1, 2019.
Negranza said all of the three decommisioned vessels have been stripped of all serviceable equipment and usable materials and are currently undergoing disposal process in accordance with existing policies and procedures.
The vessels "are likely to be sold as scrap," Negranza said.
"There are also no reported personnel casualty during the onset of Paeng in Naval Station Pascual Ledesma," he added.
Paeng inundated many areas in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, including Cavite.