Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

The Philippine Flag hoisted at the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal part of the disputed Spratly Islands.  Chiara Zambrano, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

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/175705680155320140330-ayungin-brp-sierra-madre-CZ-3.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">The Philippine Flag hoisted at the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal part of the disputed Spratly Islands.  Chiara Zambrano, ABS-CBN News</span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The Philippine Navy has monitored the steady presence of 24 Chinese vessels in the vicinity of Ayungin Shoal or Second Thomas Shoal in the past five days, an official said on Friday.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/2/20-chinese-maritime-militia-4-coast-guard-ships-spotted-near-ayungin-shoal-afp-1853">20 Chinese maritime militia, 4 coast guard ships spotted near Ayungin Shoal: AFP</a></div><p>Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, said four China Coast Guard (CCG) ships and 20 Chinese maritime militia vessels were spotted in the area on Thursday, September 4.</p><p>“As of yesterday, same number, 20 yung monitored militia vessels and four coast guard ships. This has been the number for the past four, five days,” Trinidad said in a forum in San Juan City.</p><p>The official noted that the numbers are higher compared to the Navy’s monitoring the week before.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/6/17/philippine-ship-chinese-vessel-collide-in-south-china-sea-beijing-936">Philippine, Chinese ships collide near hotspot reef: Beijing</a></div><p>“After August 11, there was a noted increase and activities in Ayungin Shoal. Humupa ito after a week because of the weather disturbance, and the numbers went down to four maritime militia and two coast guard ships,” Trinidad noted.</p><p>On August 20, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) reported that Chinese maritime forces have stepped up their presence and activities inside and around Ayungin Shoal.</p><p>The military monitored 25 vessels and small boats of the CCG and Chinese maritime militia, and two air assets of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy.</p><p>Two Philippine rubber boats even blocked the attempt of a CCG rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) to go near the BRP Sierra Madre.</p><p>A Chinese maritime militia vessel also deployed fishing nets in the southeast approach of the shoal.</p><p>“Yung pag-lay ng mga lambat at pagpatrol malapit sa BRP Sierrea Madre, wala na yun. That was only noticed on August 20 and 21,” Trinidad said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RESUPPLY MISSION TO BRP SIERRA MADRE ‘SEEMS UNDERWAY’</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>The AFP conducts regular rotation and resupply (RORE) missions to the grounded BRP Sierra Madre, which serves as the country’s naval outpost in Ayungin Shoal.</p><p>The last resupply mission was conducted in July.</p><p>Trinidad declined to give details of the next mission to the BRP Sierra Madre, but stressed that the military will not neglect the needs of its troops stationed there.</p><p>“The details of the next RORE is at the level of the Western Command,” the official said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/6/19/knives-looting-severed-thumb-philippines-details-fresh-confrontation-with-china-1613">Knives, looting, severed thumb: Philippines details fresh confrontation with China in Ayungin</a></div><p>He went on, “Hindi natin pwedeng pabayaan ang ating mga sundalo in the frontlines. It is the moral obligation of the leadership of the AFP to provide especially food to our men in the frontlines. So, ang RORE, matutuloy iyan.”</p><p>In a post on X on Friday afternoon, maritime security expert and SeaLight director Ray Powell said the resupply mission to the grounded vessel “seems underway.”</p><p>“Philippines’ resupply mission to Second Thomas Shoal seems underway with at least two Philippine Coast Guard ships—BRP Bagacay and BRP Malapascua—in support and closely engaged by China Coast Guard 5304 and 23514. Nine large Qiong Sansha Yu maritime militia ships visible surrounding the shoal,” Powell said.</p><p>“Not clear yet whether China is impeding the resupply boat itself. If so, that would mark the end [of] the agreement reached after last year’s dramatic June 17th confrontation,” he added.</p><p>In July last year, the Philippines and China agreed on a “provisional arrangement” for resupplying Filipino troops stationed in Ayungin Shoal following a series of escalating confrontations in the West Philippine Sea.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/6/19/how-ph-navy-officer-lost-a-finger-during-china-ramming-incident-in-ayungin-1809">How PH Navy officer lost a finger during China ramming incident in Ayungin</a></div><p>Manila and Beijing upheld this “understanding” during the 10th Bilateral Consultation Mechanism on the South China Sea on January 17.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NAE1cd-5mIQ?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VgmFOlv0Zz0?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>The Philippine Navy has monitored the steady presence of 24 Chinese vessels in the vicinity of Ayungin Shoal or Second Thomas Shoal in the past five days, an official said on Friday.</p>

The Philippine Navy has monitored the steady presence of 24 Chinese vessels in the vicinity of Ayungin Shoal or Second Thomas Shoal in the past five days, an official said on Friday.

24 Chinese vessels spotted in Ayungin Shoal as resupply mission looms

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24 Chinese vessels spotted in Ayungin Shoal as resupply mission looms

Bianca Dava,

ABS-CBN News

Published Sep 05, 2025 03:21 PM PHT

Read More:

Ayungin Shoal

BRP Sierra Madre

West Philippine Sea

Chinese vessels

China

Beijing

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