AFP on Chinese vessels at Ayungin Shoal: Typical swarming, not invasion

The Armed Forces of the Philippines denied that Chinese vessels in Ayungin Shoal were in invasion mode, saying it was a typical swarming.

According to a "24 Oras" report on Friday, security analyst Ray Powell earlier claimed the China Coast Guard's (CCG) behavior was “invasion."

Earlier, at least nine Chinese militia vessels and one CCG ship were spotted near the Ayungin Shoal.

“Every time we see them inside our shoal, we deploy our rubber boats to non-confrontationally drive them away because it's a calibrated response, we do not want to escalate the situation there anymore,” said AFP Western Command chief Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos.

Earlier, AFP chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. said he told the Chinese ambassador that the presence of their vessels was provoking Philippine forces.

“Nag-usap kami ni [Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian] noong minsang nagkita kami. Sinabi ko sa kanya na that is not your territory. In fact, sinabi ko, that is our Exclusive Economic Zone. So, please do not block our resupply ships,” Brawner said.

(I talked to Ambassador Huang when we met once. I told him that this is not your territory, in fact, that is our Exclusive Economic Zone. So, please do not block our resupply ships.)

“Sinabi nga niya na, ‘You are provoking us.’ So sinabi ko sa kanya, ‘No, you are the ones provoking us,” he added.

(He said ‘You are provoking us.’ So I told him, ‘No, you are the ones provoking us.)

Meanwhile, China said that the water cannons firing toward Philippine boats during resupply missions in the West Philippine Sea are “professional and restrained” and were “necessary measures” to lodge “stern representations” with Manila.

"The operations were professional, restrained, reasonable and legal," said Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning.

"The root cause is that the Philippines broke its promise by refusing to tow away the illegally beached warship, attempting to carry out large-scale reinforcements and achieve permanent occupation," she said. —Jiselle Anne Casucian/LDF, GMA Integrated News