The dilapidated Sierra Madre ship of the Philippine Navy is anchored near Ayungin shoal (Second Thomas Shoal) with Filipino soldiers on-board to secure perimeter in the Spratly group of islands in the South China Sea, west of Palawan, Philippines, May 11, 2015. Ritchie B. Tongo, EPA/Pool/File 

Philippine General visits Pag-Asa island amid escalating tensions with China over alleged reclamation and building activities in the disputed South China Sea.

Bianca Dava

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17122108448995980553.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left"><span id="isPasted" style="white-space:pre-wrap">The dilapidated Sierra Madre ship of the Philippine Navy is anchored near Ayungin shoal (Second Thomas Shoal) with Filipino soldiers on-board to secure perimeter in the Spratly group of islands in the South China Sea, west of Palawan, Philippines, May 11, 2015. <em>Ritchie B. Tongo, EPA/Pool/File </em></span></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The Philippines will continue to resupply troops stationed at the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, a top security official said on Wednesday. </p><p>National Security Council (NSC) Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya said the Philippines remained committed to keep the grounded warship to assert its maritime claims to the area.</p><p>“Our commitment to maintaining BRP Sierra Madre will always be there. Any attempt by China to interfere with the resupply missions will be met by the Philippines in a fashion that protects our troops, both those doing the RoRe missions and those that are in LS-57,” Malaya said during a maritime forum in Quezon City.<br/><br/><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/4/2/china-using-gentleman-s-pact-to-deflect-illegal-activities-in-wps-teodoro-1141" id="isPasted">READ: China using &#x27;gentleman&#x27;s pact&#x27; to deflect illegal activities in WPS: Teodoro</a></p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/4/1/-pinamigay-na-niya-duterte-xi-secret-deal-meant-giving-away-ayungin-shoal-carpio-1353">READ: &#x27;Pinamigay na niya&#x27;: Duterte-Xi secret deal meant giving away Ayungin Shoal - Carpio</a></div><p>Malaya said the NSC was aware of the public’s frustration with the situation in Ayungin Shoal, where Chinese coast guard and maritime militia vessels have consistently used water cannons and executed dangerous maneuvers against Philippine supply vessels.</p><p>“I know the mood of the public is frustrated. We know the people are frustrated. We have made recommendations to the president about a host of responses to what is happening in Ayungin Shoal with the objective of addressing all these issues. No one is happy that our servicemen are getting hurt,” Malaya noted.</p><p>We are also looking at diplomatic approaches. We hope the incidents in Ayungin Shoal will not happen again, but our resupply missions will never stop,&quot; he added.</p><p>Beijing insists that Ayungin Shoal, which it calls Ren’ai Reef, is part of China’s Nansha Islands.</p><p>China has also repeatedly demanded the removal of BRP Sierra Madre from the shoal, citing an alleged past promise by Manila. However, Philippine officials have denied such claims.</p><p>A senator recently called for a congressional investigation into the alleged deal.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/4/3/senate-probe-sought-into-treasonous-duterte-china-gentleman-s-agreement-1046">READ: Senate probe sought into &#x27;treasonous&#x27; Duterte-China &#x27;gentleman&#x27;s agreement&#x27;</a></div><p>Meanwhile, Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez maintained that the Philippines &quot;<span id="isPasted" style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span dir="ltr">will not give up any of our territories.</span></span></p><div><span style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span dir="ltr">&quot;But we continue to reach out and tell them (China) that we are ready to sit down and talk seriously about how to resolve some of the issues involving the territorial claims,&quot; he said. </span></span></div><p><span style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span dir="ltr"><u></u></span></span>The envoy made the statement days before the April 11 trilateral summit between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., US President Joe Biden, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the White House. </p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);-webkit-text-stroke-width:initial;-webkit-text-stroke-color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span>“The expected topics will range from defense and security cooperation as well as addressing the emerging and additional security threats in our maritime domain to economic and technological cooperation, ensuring supply chain resilience particularly in the semiconductor industry, critical infrastructure development, digital and for transformation and investing in clear energy,” Romualdez said. </span></div><div><br/><strong>-- With a report from Don Tagala, ABS-CBN News</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><ivs-player data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-vid="2999199"></ivs-player> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script></div><div><ivs-player data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-vid="2996135"></ivs-player> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script></div>

<p>The Philippines will continue to resupply troops stationed at the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, a top security official said on Wednesday.</p>

The Philippines will continue to resupply troops stationed at the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, a top security official said on Wednesday.

Philippines vows to maintain BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal: official | ABS-CBN

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Philippines vows to maintain BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal: official

Philippines vows to maintain BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal: official

Bianca Dava,

ABS-CBN News

Published Apr 04, 2024 02:17 PM PHT

|

Updated Apr 04, 2024 03:11 PM PHT

Read More:

Ayungin Shoal

BRP Sierra Madre

resupply mission

China

Beijing

South China Sea

NSC

ANC

West Philippine Sea

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