BRP Sierra Madre can withstand Enteng – Navy spox

MANILA, Philippines — The BRP Sierra Madre, a naval outpost in Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal, could withstand Severe Tropical Storm Enteng as it approaches the West Philippine Sea.

Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, the Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, made this assurance on Tuesday.

“Our personnel will remain on board BRP Sierra Madre,” Trinidad told INQUIRER.net.

The resupply activity in BRP Sierra Madre has become one of the flashpoints of tensions between Manila and Beijing.

The most violent incident there occurred last June 17, which led to what the military deemed as the “looting” of seven firearms and the destruction of two Navy boats, resulting in one Navy personnel losing his finger.

Beijing asserts sovereignty in almost the entire South China Sea, including most of the West Philippine Sea, despite being effectively invalidated by the arbitral award issued in July 2016 stemming from a case filed by Manila in 2013.

The World War II-era warship, grounded in the shoal since 1999 to assert the country’s rights in its own exclusive economic zone, has deteriorated, but the government maintains its right to repair the naval outpost.

Trinidad noted that “the ship can withstand the typhoon as the typhoon path is on the eastern seaboard of the country.”

He noted that Chinese vessels and warships may take shelter as Enteng is seen to affect the eastern seaboard of the country where Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc (BDM) is located.

“We expect the PLA-N (People’s Liberation Army-Navy) CCG (China Coast Guard) and CMMVs (Chinese maritime militia vessels) in the vicinity of BDM to seek shelter as the effects of Typhoon Enteng will be felt in the coastal waters of Zambales,” Trinidad noted.

SeaLight director Ray Powell earlier reported this, saying that at least six CMMVs are now heading towards Hainan, China in anticipation of Enteng.

READ: West Philippine Sea: Chinese militia ships flee Panatag as Enteng nears 

Severe Tropical Storm Enteng, which reportedly killed 13 people thus far, is forecast to head towards the West Philippine Sea on Wednesday before intensifying into a typhoon on Thursday, according to state meteorologists.