Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. reaffirmed on Saturday that China’s continuous harassment of Philippine military resupply operations at Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea will not stop future missions.
Teodoro’s statement followed a Thursday night incident where three Chinese Navy warships and five Chinese Coast Guard vessels shadowed and dangerously approached a Philippine flotilla, blocking a “sovereign and legitimate mission.” The Philippine fleet comprised the military-contracted supply ship M/V Lapu-Lapu accompanied by three Navy and Coast Guard escort vessels.
Due to the nighttime environment and rough sea conditions, the mission commander chose to abort the operation to prevent further escalation.
Addressing the obstruction, Rear Admiral (res.) Roy Vincent Trinidad, AFP spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, condemned China’s conduct as “irresponsible” and “reckless,” noting that its actions violate the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and the 2016 Arbitral Award.
Despite the standoff, Teodoro emphasized that resupply operations will persist. “RoRe (rotation and resupply) is a Philippine mission and we will not be deterred. Temporary setbacks (occur) but the mission will go on,” Teodoro said.
Teodoro added that the Department of National Defense has submitted its official recommendation regarding the incident to National Security Adviser Eduardo Oban, who chairs the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea.
“We’re not allowed to share it (recommendation) with the public. Nonetheless, a RoRe mission is mission of the Republic of the Philippines and it has to go on,” Teodoro said, maintaining that the government will proceed with its scheduled deployments. “Naturally, we have to do it.”