Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros expressed her support for the ‘Task Force Ayungin,’ a joint operation between the US military and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) aimed at strengthening their defense alliance and improving interoperability in the West Philippine Sea.
“The establishment of the Ayungin Task Force is a welcome development. It enhances the peaceful, non-violent, and effective strategies that the Philippines is developing through political and diplomatic actions to assert and promote our victory in The Hague,” Hontiveros stated in a recent forum.
She noted that more countries are aligning with the Philippines, with the US already participating, alongside other nations in the ASEAN region, the broader Asia-Pacific area, and even in other regions of the world, supporting Philippine efforts.
The senator also highlighted that numerous countries have signed formal agreements and are conducting joint naval operations, marine patrols, and Coast Guard activities.
“I am also looking forward to joint patrols involving our navies and our Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), along with agriculture departments or ministries, to firmly assert that the rule of law should prevail at sea,” she added.
Hontiveros emphasized that even in the face of threatened or actual conflict, the rule of law must take precedence over military actions—particularly aggressive or illegal actions like those perpetrated by China against BFAR, fishermen, Philippine Coast Guard, and Navy in our waters.
The task force, confirmed by US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III, aligns with various cooperative frameworks between the two nations, including the Mutual Defense Board-Security Engagement Board process and the Bantay Dagat initiative.
Additionally, the task force underscores the strategic importance of the Ayungin Shoal, which has become a focal point of contested disputes, particularly regarding the aggressive actions of the Chinese Coast Guard during the Philippine Coast Guard’s rotation and resupply missions.
