Philippines asserts sovereignty over Ayungin Shoal

The Philippines will defend its sovereignty over the Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal amid the continuous aggression of China in the West Philippine Sea, the National Security Council (NSC) said Monday.

“Hindi natin papayagan na mawala ang Ayungin Shoal. ‘Yan ay utos ng ating pangulo,” said NSC Adviser Eduardo Año in Joseph Morong’s “24 Oras” report. 

(We will protect Ayungin Shoal. That’s the instructions of the President.)

“Poproteksyunan natin at ang mga nakatira doon. At ang ating mga nakatira dun, sisiguraduhin din natin na maayos din naman ‘yung kanilang tinitirhan,” Año added. 

(We will protect the area and its residents. We will make sure that those living there have proper housing.)

On Friday, GMA Integrated News and other media representatives joined the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in another resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre which is grounded in the Ayungin Shoal since 1999. 

PCG personnel successfully entered the shoal after evading up to 15 China Coast Guard vessels and Chinese militia vessels.

This allowed them to go near the BRP Sierra Madre and see the latest state of the grounded active naval post.

The replenishment mission was conducted following a collision between a China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel and Unaiza May 2, one of two indigenous supply boats contracted by the Philippines, in October. 

On Friday, only one indigenous boat from the October resupply mission, the Unaiza May 1, participated.

Taking the place of Unaiza May 2 on Friday's mission is a rescue vessel from the local government of Kalayaan, the M/L Kalayaan (Freedom in English).

A CCG vessel fired a water cannon on Friday at M/L Kalayaan while it was on its way to Ayungin Shoal.

Philippine officials quickly condemned the incident and asked the involved Chinese vessel to immediately leave Ayungin Shoal.

CCG vessels also deployed rigid-hull inflatable boats and kept a close watch over Filipino forces, sometimes cutting close to the Filipino vessels to take videos and photos of the personnel.—Sundy Locus/LDF, GMA Integrated News