PH won’t abandon military detachment in Ayungin Shoal: Palace

MANILA – The Philippine government will not abandon the Filipino troops serving as a detachment at the Ayungin Shoal, Malacañang said on Friday.

“Walang abandonment na mangyayari diyan (There’s no abandonment that will happen there),” acting Presidential Spokesperson and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said in a virtual presser, when asked if the government is considering abandoning the military detachment on Ayungin Shoal to avoid confrontation with China.

Nograles said the government will resume the resupply mission for military personnel onboard BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal, which is part of Palawan’s Kalayaan town.

“Itutuloy namin at gagawin namin ang nararapat para makarating ang mga supply doon para sa ating mga kapwa Pilipino na nandoon (We will resume [the resupply mission] and do what is right to give the supply to our fellow Filipinos who are there),” he said.

Nograles’ remarks came a day after Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said two Philippine supply boats “trespassed” into Chinese waters, the Ren’ai Jiao, “without China’s consent.”

Two Philippine supply vessels were forced to abort their resupply mission on Tuesday, after three Chinese Coast Guard “blocked and water cannoned” them.

While no one was hurt during the incident, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) relayed to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s “outrage, condemnation and protest” against the “illegal” acts of the Chinese Coast Guard.

The DFA also said the Chinese Coast Guard’s action against the two Philippine boats “threatens the special relationship” between the Philippines and China.

Nograles maintained that the Philippines, despite its mended ties with China, would continue to assert its sovereign rights over its territories, including the Ayungin Shoal.

“We will continue to assert our sovereignty and sovereign rights, our jurisdiction over Ayungin Shoal and all other territories within our jurisdiction, including our EEZ (exclusive economic zone),” he said.

Nograles also expressed confidence that the DFA would take the necessary steps to avoid a repeat of the incident.

“So, we stand by the swift actions of the Department of Foreign Affairs and we are confident that the DFA will do whatever is necessary,” he said.

In a separate statement, senatorial aspirant and former presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the Ayungin Shoal incident is “wholly unacceptable and absolutely illegal under international law.”

“Civilian vessels, particularly those carrying food provisions, should never be the subject of any form of attack or harassment,” Roque said.

He also advised the Philippine government to “rethink” its assumption that any attack on the BRP Sierra Madre could compel the United States, through the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty, to “come to our rescue.”

Roque said the Philippines should realize that the US, just like in the past, would not offer any help, citing the incident when China took control of both Mischief Reef and Scarborough Shoal.

“The reality is US officials have repeatedly said they do not interfere in conflicting claims to territory,” he said. “Ultimately national defense for the Filipinos can only be undertaken by us Filipinos. We need to build a robust economy so we can allot more of our resources towards national defense modernization to better protect our national territory.”