Brawner: AFP has responsibility, legal obligation to continue ROREs

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will continue with its regular rotation and resupply (RORE) missions to its military outposts in the highly contested West Philippine Sea despite Chinese harassment.

AFP Chief-of-Staff Romeo Brawner Jr. pointed out that it was their responsibility to provide Filipino troops deployed in various parts of the WPS, such as the Ayungin Shoal and Pag-asa Island, with the necessities.

“So definitely, we will continue with our resupply mission. It is our responsibility, it is our obligation, and it is a legal operation, legal military operation that we are doing in our exclusive economic zone,” said Brawner in a chance interview with reporters.

“So talagang tuloy-tuloy lang yung gagawin nating  missions in the West Philippine Sea, whether it is RORE, or maritime  patrols, or protecting our fisherfolks, protecting our resources,  gagawin po natin lahat ‘yan,” he added.

(So we will continue with our missions in the West Philippine Sea, whether it is  RORE, maritime patrols, or protecting our fisherfolk, protecting our resources, we will continue doing them.)

This is the latest statement from the AFP after more than a week since the encounter between Chinese personnel and Filipino troops in Ayungin Shoal, which caused a Philippine Navy sailor to lose his thumb.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. also rejected the idea of announcing the schedule of the country’s RORE missions to BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin  Shoal.

Further, the AFP maintained that the Philippines had the right to conduct missions in its territorial claims in the WPS.

“Whether it’s a big ship or a small ship, ang stand natin is that illegal yung presence ng Chinese dito sa area na ito,” said Brawner.

(Whether it’s a big ship or a small ship, our stand is that the Chinese presence in our area is illegal.)

“Under the UNCLOS and other international laws that we are following and  observing, hindi pwede na nandito sila sa area na ito and harassing the  Filipino fishermen and even Philippine Navy vessels.”

(Under the UNCLOS and other international laws that we are following and observing, they are not allowed to harass our Filipino fishermen and even the  Philippine Navy vessels in this area.)  

The 2016 arbitration ruling upheld the Philippines' exclusive economic zone over China's claims in the disputed South China Sea. But China has never recognized the decision. — DVM, GMA Integrated News