Military says ''remarkable'' improvement in resupply mission for troops at Ayungin Shoal
The military said there was "remarkable" improvement in the resupply mission for troops at the BRP Sierra Madre in the West Philippine Sea since the start of the new administration.
Maj. Cherryl Tindog, Western Command spokesperson, said through Joint Task Force West under the command of Captain Alan Javier, resupplied BRP Sierra Madre LS57 in Ayungin Shoal on October 5.
Tindog said the supplies include an assortment of food supplies, water, medicines, other supplies, as well as maintenance and repair equipment needed by the Philippine Navy ship and her crew.
"This resupply mission is the 10th that Wescom has conducted this year and the third since President Bongbong Marcos has taken the helm as the Commander in Chief. The situation since then has remarkably improved," she said.
Tindog said the commercial boats contracted by the Philippine Navy "safely entered and exited Ayungin Shoal using its usual entry and exit points."
"This is the third consecutive resupply activity undertaken by the government with neither any escort nor untoward incident," she said.
The BRP Sierra Madre was grounded in Ayungin Shoal since 1999 to serve as outpost for Philippine soldiers in the Kalayaan Island Group. It is located 105 nautical miles west of Palawan.
Tindog said "according to the crew of the supply boats, they noticed the presence of two China Coast Guard and five Chinese militia vessels as they safely entered and exited Ayungin Shoal on their own."
She noted that the Philippine Coast Guard’s BRP Malapascua was conducting patrol in the West Philippine Sea during the resupply run.
Tindog said the last untoward incident recorded was transpired during the resupply mission last June where the Philippines boats were shadowed and challenged by the Chinese.
"These continuing deliberate actions of Area Task Force West and Wescom aim to send a clear message that the Philippine government will continue to sustain the morale and welfare of its sailors aboard BRP Sierra Madre while peacefully co-existing with the Chinese in the contested waters," she said.
As the result of the constant dialogues and good-neighbor conduct in the area, Tindog said the military see that there is no need for a "force-against-force" stance when doing humanitarian activity such as resupply missions.
Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos, chief of the AFPs Western Command (Wescom) said, “the absence of Philippine Government escort vessels was deliberate. We are exhausting all available means to peacefully co-exist until all WPS issues are finally resolved."
"Our current thrust is part of the trust-building efforts we are undertaking in response to the guidance of the President to exhaust all means to resolve the issues in the West Philippine Sea. Hence, continuing dialogues with Chinese authorities is one such approach," he said. Robina Asido/DMS
