Teodoro: No threats so far in Ayungin but ‘we always remain alert’

With inspired Filipino ingenuity, decrepit World War II-era BRP Sierra Madre was grounded near Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal in 1999 as a military outpost in the West Philippine Sea serving to deter China’s incursions. —INQUIRER PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — No threats have been detected against the Filipino troops stationed at the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, despite the reported swarming of Chinese vessels in the area recently.

But if push comes to shove, the country has “contingency plans” to drive away invaders attempting to go near the military outpost.

“At this time, there’s none. We are not seeing anything that may endanger the lives of the Filipinos in BRP Sierra Madre,” Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said on Monday at the sidelines of the commemoration of National Heroes’ Day at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City.

READ: PH, Australia condemn China acts in Ayungin Shoal

“But of course, we always remain alert. We are not privy on what is going on inside the minds of the Chinese,” he added.

According to Teodoro, the military have monitored an increase in the presence not only in Ayungin Shoal, but in other areas of the West Philippine Sea.

“Sometimes there are increases, sometimes there are none because we just recently finished Exercise Alon in the waters off Palawan,” he said, referring to the joint naval drill of the Philippines and Australia.

The BRP Sierra Madre, the rusting but still in active service vessel of the Philippine Navy, was deliberately grounded in 1999 to help secure the country’s assertion of sovereignty over the area of Ayungin—which is some 315 km west of Palawan and thus well within the country’s 370-km exclusive economic zone.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines on Friday saw an unusual spike in Chinese activities in Ayungin, including the deployment of coast guard ships, militia vessels and fast boats equipped with mounted weapons.

Encircling the shoal

On Aug. 20, the military detected five China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels encircling the shoal.

They were supported by 11 rigid-hulled inflatable boats and fast boats, and nine Chinese maritime militia vessels, along with a helicopter and a drone.

But the chief of the Department of National Defense (DND) also clarified that there is no confirmed information suggesting that the Chinese vessels were carrying heavy weapons.

Teodoro urged the public to be wary of false reports about incidents in the West Philippine Sea.

“We have no confirmed information about that. And we should be cautious of fake news, just like weeks ago when it was claimed that the [BRP] Sierra Madre had been towed, he said.

READ: Wescom chief: Ayungin troops in high spirits

For Undersecretary Alexander Lopez, spokesperson of the National Maritime Council (NMC), the supposed weapon system mounted on Chinese rubber boats were “mere optics.”

“Even our troops in BRP Sierra Madre were not alarmed by this Chinese propaganda,” he said over an interview on state-run PTV on Monday.

According to Lopez, the Philippines “expected” the significant increase in China’s activities in the West Philippine Sea following the Aug. 11 collision between a

CCG vessel chasing a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) ship and a Chinese Navy warship off Scarborough (Panatag) Shoal.

He described it as Beijing’s way of dousing out its “embarrassment” from the incident, and sending a message that the Asian superpower is still in control of the South China Sea, especially in the West Philippine Sea.

`Returned to normal’

Citing reports from the AFP Western Command (Wescom) as of Monday, Lopez said the situation near BRP has “returned to normal, and the Chinese’s unusual activities have subsided.”

The number of Chinese vessels near Ayungin has become fewer — with only one or two China Coast Guard ships remaining, along with several Chinese maritime militia vessels.

“This is the usual number of Chinese vessels that the Wescom has monitored near Ayungin on a day-to-day basis,” Lopez added.

According to the NMC official, the country is implementing a security plan to defend the BRP Sierra Madre, first of which was to prevent incursionists from going near the outpost.

“Secondly, without going to the details, we have contingency plans for whatever happens. And it will always be based on the most serious or worst case scenario,” Lopez said.

“Let us remain calm and confident that our BRP Sierra Madre—often described as a symbol of our sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea—is secure and stable. And despite what is being reported, we have sufficient measures and plans to ensure the security of the West Philippine Sea in general,” he added.

Rotation and resupply missions to the BRP Sierra Madre will also continue despite the Chinese activities.

“There is a provisional understanding between our country and China that they should not disturb, interfere with or obstruct our missions because it is our right to do so,” Lopez said. /mr