AFP to China: Do not interfere with resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Saturday called on the China Coast Guard (CCG) to "behave" and not interfere in the next resupply mission to troops stationed at the Ayungin Shoal aboard the BRP Sierra Madre.

“They should not interfere in our RoRe (rotation and resupply) mission,” said AFP spokesperson Colonel Medel Aguilar in a News Forum in Quezon City. 

Asked what the military would do should China Coast Guard do not heed their call, the AFP spokesperson said, “We will see what will happen.”

Aguilar said the AFP has only fulfilled half of the resupply mission and another one will take place in the next two weeks. 

The initial resupply mission was interrupted after the CCG illegally used water cannons against Philippine vessels going to Ayungin Shoal.

“Despite the incident on August 5, where Philippine supply vessels were blocked, subjected to dangerous maneuvers and water cannon, the Armed Forces of the Philippines is duty-bound to ensure the well-being of its personnel on the BRP Sierra Madre,” Aguilar said.

“We are, therefore, committed to the conduct of another RoRe mission for our personnel and to maintain our presence in Ayungin Shoal. This exercise of our sovereign rights and jurisdiction is a testament to our firm belief in the rules-based international order that underpins regional peace and stability,” he said.

Nonetheless, the AFP spokesman said that the military affirms its support for the peaceful settlement of disputes as “we continue to pursue this humanitarian undertaking and defend our rights over our maritime zones.”

“We, therefore, call on all relevant parties to abide by their obligations under international law and respect the Philippines' sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction over its maritime zones,” he said.

The Ayungin Shoal is part of the Kalayaan Island Group, which is an integral part of the Philippines, as well as the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, over which the Philippines has sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction.

The BRP Sierra Madre has been grounded at Ayungin Shoal since 1999. The ship, manned by more than a dozen Marines and sailors, has become a symbol of Philippine sovereignty in the offshore territory.

“Ayungin Shoal holds a strategic importance for the Philippines and a fishing ground for our fishermen. Beyond its practical purpose, the RoRe mission to the shoal is a clear demonstration of our resolve to stand up against threats and coercion, and our commitment in upholding the Rule of Law,” Aguilar said.

The Philippines, in response, sent a note verbale to China to protest the incident.

China's ambassador to the Philippines, Huang Xilian, was also summoned by the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs.

This is not the first time that Chinese vessels have used water cannons against Philippine ships, or targeted resupply missions to the Sierra Madre, a rusting Navy ship that has been moored at Ayungin Shoal since 1999.

In 2016, the Philippines triumphed in a landmark ruling by an international tribunal that invalidated China's massive claims to nearly the entirety of the South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea, or the waters within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.

The US, Canada, Japan, Australia, and the European Union have also decried the CCG's actions and restated their support for the 2016 arbitral ruling.

China has refused to recognize the ruling, and has made repeated incursions into territories in the sea as well as conducted reclamation activities in the area.  

Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian, meanwhile, has been declared persona non grata by the The Sangguniang Bayan (SB) of the municipality of Kalayaan in Palawan.

The resolution comes after Huang defended the harassment of CCG against Philippine vessels in the West Philippine Sea.

GMA News Online contacted the Chinese Embassy for comment but it has yet to receive a reply as of posting time. —VAL, GMA Integrated News