Lorenzana orders resumption of supply mission to troops in Ayungin Shoal
Amid the recent harassment by Chinese Coast Guard ships against Philippine supply boats in the West Philippine Sea, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana ordered the resumption of the supply mission for the troops in Ayungin Shoal without Philippine Navy or Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) escort.
"Yes, these are such instructions. No Coast Guard or Navy escort. The Chinese will not interfere per my conversation with the Chinese Ambassador," Lorenzana said on Sunday.
Lorenzana said he started to coordinate with Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian after the incident last Tuesday.
"We have been talking everyday since the evening of the 16th while the incident was happening until yesterday (November 20)," he said.
Lorenzana said the Philippines will see if China is true to their words when the supply mission in Ayungin Shoal resumes next week.
"We will see if they are true to their words as our Navy will proceed with the resupply this week," he said.
"They are the ones violating our sovereign rights within our exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Our EEZ was granted to the Philippines by the 1982 UNCLOS which, by the way, was ratified by China. Therefore they have no right to impede, prevent or harass our ships within our EEZ whether we are fishing or bringing supplies to our detachment in the Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal," he added.
In a radio interview with Vice Admiral Ramil Roberto Enriquez, Armed Forces Philippines (AFP) Western Command Chief and head of Area Task Force West on Sunday said the repair of the damaged wooden hulled supply boat is nearly complete.
"We are speeding up the repair of the outrigger of our damaged boat and hopefully this afternoon we can test it, and maybe we can go back to Ayungin Shoal as soon as possible," he said. Robina Asido/DMS
