Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 24) — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Thursday emphasized that whatever the country does on the BRP Sierra Madre, its military outpost at Ayungin Shoal, is none of China’s business and will not be a threat to any other nation.
“Whatever we do in our commissioned vessel, whatever we do in our exclusive economic zone is none of their business,” AFP spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar told CNN Philippines’ The Source.
He also said that “making BRP Sierra Madre liveable does not involve militarization that will threaten other country’s security. Repairing its facility does not involve reclamation that destroys our environment so where is the moral ascendancy to tell us what to do?”
Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian claimed that a special arrangement between the Philippines and China helped the recent resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal to be successful. Huang noted that the problem was on the transportation of large-scale building materials, which Aguilar said is not possible because the boats directly delivering supply to BRP Sierra Madre are unable to handle the same.
Even if they could, the Philippines can do so since the shoal is within its 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ), Aguilar added.
