AFP to continue resupply mission in Ayungin Shoal
By Robina Asido
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will continue the resupply mission in Ayungin Shoal "within next two weeks" despite China's demand to remove the BRP Sierra Madre, the Philippine Navy warship grounded in the area more than 20 years ago.
In a radio interview on Tuesday, AFP spokesman Col. Medel Aguilar explained the need to send another resupply mission within the next two weeks as they failed to deliver all the needed supplies for the troops stationed in BRP Sierra Madre after the Chinese vessels blocked and tried to stop the supply boats and its Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) escort vessels last August 5, 2023.
"The supply that was unloaded was just half so it is not enough, we need to resupply them within the next two weeks but we will see how we are going to do it because of what happened in the West Philippine Sea," he said.
"Our objective is always to make sure that our troops there have the food, drinks and other supplies they need to do their task there," he added.
In his remarks in response to the US State Department's statement supporting the Philippines following the recent incident where the Chinese Coast Guard used water cannons against Philippine resupply vessels, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said "China immediately made serious demarches to the Philippines, demanding the removal of the vessel" from Ren’ai Jiao (Ayungin or Second Thomas shoal) which "has always been part of China’s Nansha Qundao."
"The historical context of the issue of Ren’ai Jiao is very clear. In 1999, the Philippines sent a warship that illegally "landed" on Ren’ai Jiao, attempting to change the status quo of Ren’ai Jiao illegally," he said.
"The Philippines promised several times to tow it away, but has yet to act. Not only that, the Philippines sought to repair and reinforce the warship in order to permanently occupy Ren’ai Jiao," he added.
On the other hand, Aguilar reiterated the government's position that the Philippines "will never abandon the BRP Sierra Madre".
"Our troops are always there in BRP Sierra Madre 24/7 and based on the declaration and statement of our national security adviser yesterday through director Jonathan Malaya we will never abandon the Sierra Madre," he said.
In his statement, Wang confirmed that the China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels stopped Philippine vessels during the resupply missing in Ayungin shoal.
"On August 5, in disregard of China’s repeated dissuasion and warning, the Philippines sent two vessels that intruded into the adjacent waters of Ren’ai Jiao and tried to deliver the construction materials for repairing and reinforcing the "grounded "warship. Such actions violated China’s sovereignty and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC)," he said.
"The China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels stopped them in accordance with law and warned them off through appropriate law enforcement measures. Their maneuvers were professional, restrained and beyond reproach," he added.
Wang also noted that" the US has been inciting and supporting the Philippines attempts to repair and reinforce its warship that was deliberately grounded on Ren’ai Jiao."
"The US even sent over military aircraft and vessels to assist and support the Philippines, and repeatedly sought to threaten China by citing the US Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty. The US has been brazenly bolstering the Philippines as it infringes upon China’s sovereignty, but those moves will not succeed," he said.
In response to this, Aguilar stressed that as an active Philippine Navy vessel, the AFP has the responsibility to man and maintain BRP Sierra Madre to make sure that it "remains to be liveable and provides (a) safe living environment for our troops".
Wang also noted that "the South China Sea arbitration was a pure political drama staged in the name of the law with the US pulling strings behind the scenes."
"The so-called award contravenes international laws, including UNCLOS, and is illegal, null and void. The US’s attempt to make an issue of the illegal award will not affect China’s firm resolve to safeguard its territorial sovereignty, maritime rights and interests in accordance with the law," he said.
"We urge the US to stop utilizing the South China Sea issue to sow confusion and discord, and we urge it to respect China’s territorial sovereignty, maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, and respect regional countries’ efforts to uphold peace and stability in this region," he added.
In a statement, US Department of State spokesman Matthew Miller said United States stands with Philippine "in the face of dangerous actions by the Coast Guard and maritime militia of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to obstruct an August 5, Philippine resupply mission to Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea."
"Firing water cannons and employing unsafe blocking maneuvers, PRC ships interfered with the Philippines’ lawful exercise of high seas freedom of navigation and jeopardized the safety of the Philippine vessels and crew," he said.
Miller said "such actions by the PRC are inconsistent with international law and are the latest in repeated threats to the status quo in the South China Sea, directly threatening regional peace and stability".
"By impeding necessary provisions from reaching the Filipino service members stationed at Second Thomas Shoal, the PRC has also undertaken unwarranted interference in lawful Philippine maritime operations," he added. DMS
