Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 15) — China is trying to keep the Philippines out of Ayungin Shoal, which it claims is part of its Nansha Islands, a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) official said Wednesday.
[T]heir main objective really is to prevent us from constantly supporting our troops [and] maintaining our presence in Ayungin Shoal,” PCG Adviser of the Commandant for Maritime Security Commodore Jay Tarriela told CNN Philippines’ Politics As Usual.
The Philippines intentionally grounded the BRP Sierra Madre — a World War II-era vessel — at the shoal in 1999 to assert its sovereign rights in the area. The PCG has since been delivering supplies to Filipino soldiers stationed there.
Although its hull is now stricken with rust, huge holes, and is essentially no longer seaworthy, the ship remains a legally recognized extension of Philippine sovereign territory.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) earlier filed a diplomatic protest against China after a Chinese vessel pointed a military-grade laser at a PCG ship on a resupply mission.
Retired Navy Rear Admiral Rommel Ong echoed Tarriela’s statement, adding that China’s “ultimate goal” is to take control of Ayungin Shoal.
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“It (BRP Sierra Madre) is living on borrowed time… ‘Pag gumuho ‘yan [By the time it crumbles], we lose our rationale for being in that shoal in the first place,” Ong said. “That would be the premise of the takeover of the shoal.”
How PH should respond
Ong argued that the Philippines should match China’s presence in Ayungin Shoal.So [the] logical response would be to either restore our sea control of the waters around the shoal or to contest yung sea control nila [their sea control]. And the only way you can contest that is to match yung presence nila with presence natin [their presence with ours],” he said.Hindi puwede yung pasulpot-sulpot lang tayo eh… Pag-alis mo ng barko natin, we’re actually surrendering yung sovereignty natin over those waters kasi hindi permanent yung presence natin,” Ong stressed.
[Translation: We should always be there. Every time our ship leaves, we’re actually surrendering our sovereignty over those waters because our presence is not permanent.]
Meanwhile, aside from filing diplomatic protests, Tarriela said the country should continue exposing China’s “bullying behavior” in the West Philippine Sea.
