China coast guard, militia seen to block new PH resupply mission

A Chinese coast guard ship was reportedly spotted at the Panganiban Reef or Mischief Reef on Monday morning and is expected to block a new resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre.

According to Joseph Morong's report on "24 Oras," this is according to a post on Twitter by maritime security expert Ray Powell.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines has received a similar report and soldiers are already prepared should there be a repeat of the water cannon incident on August 5.

"They will block our resupply ships with several ships which is coast guard, kasama dito yung fishing vessels nila, 'yung maritime militia nila to divert us from reaching the Ayungin Shoal," AFP chief of staff General Romeo Brawner told GMA Integrated News.

(They will block our resupply ships with several ships which is coast guard, including their fishing vessels, and their maritime militia to divert us from reaching the Ayungin Shoal.)

To protect the soldiers who will figure in the mission, Brawner declined to give further details on the resupply.

He said the military would observe tolerance and not retaliate should the mission encounter aggressive behavior.

“Timpi muna. 'Yung mga ships natin are also equipped with water cannons pero di natin ginagamit 'yun na panlaban. Instead, 'yung mga water cannons natin, we use that for saving lives. For let's say kung may apoy 'yung isang barko, we use our water cannons,” Brawner said.

(Our ships are also equipped with water cannons but we don’t use them to attack. Instead, we use it to save lives. An example is when a ship catches fire, we use our water cannon.)

Powell's tweet said Chinese coast guard ship 3303 was arriving at Mischief Reef and would "likely participate in expected blockade activity vs. the next Philippines resupply of near BRP Sierra Madre at Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal, together with maritime militia also active in the area."

On August 5, the Chinese Coast Guard used water cannons against the Philippine Coast Guard fleet that was on a resupply mission to Filipino troops stationed at the BRP Sierra Madre in the Ayungin Shoal.

Several countries  — led by the United States, Australia, Japan, and Canada — expressed support for Manila and criticized China's actions, the latest in the string of several reported incidents of harassment against Philippine vessels this year.

BRP Sierra Madre has been grounded at the 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.

Manila previously called on Beijing to refrain from using water cannons.

Meanwhile, the AFP official also said the shifting of the military personnel manning BRP Sierra Madre would continue during the resumption of the resupply mission.

Brawner also said the commissioned navy ship would not be abandoned and will undergo repairs.

“It's still within our exclusive economic zone. If we don't control that feature, definitely, I am very sure that China will occupy that,” he added. —Sundy Locus/NB, GMA Integrated News