In response to the recent clash at Ayungin Shoal on June 17, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) announced plans to bolster their rotation and reprovisioning (RoRe) missions in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). This move is part of a broader shift towards strengthening territorial defense.
AFP spokesperson Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla emphasized the strategic shift during a recent interview, stating that the military’s focus now is being directed towards external defense. She added they are allocating resources towards strengthening territorial defense capabilities.
“We will be having contingency measures in place. We are studying how to move forward with it, and there will be changes in our operations. We have an operational mix, different ways for us to conduct this [RoRe mission] successfully and safely,” she explained.
Collaboration with other agencies is a key component of the new approach. The AFP will work with the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to conduct continuous maritime patrols, aimed at safeguarding Filipino fishermen.
Padilla reminded that law enforcement in our waters is managed by the Coast Guard, while the Philippine Navy and Air Force provide ongoing maritime and aerial patrols. She said the AFP stands ready to support the Coast Guard and BFAR in enforcing laws and protecting our maritime interests.
Despite recent aggressive actions by the Chinese Coast Guard, AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner, Jr. reaffirmed their commitment to continuing RoRe missions in the contested waters of the WPS within the country’s exclusive economic zone.
Brawner stressed the critical nature of these operations as part of the legal mandate of the AFP. “We will continue with our missions in the West Philippine Sea—whether it is RoRe, maritime patrols, or protecting our fisherfolk, protecting our resources—we will continue doing them,” he said.
The AFP chief also underscored the legitimacy of their actions as enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, reiterating that China is the one that has been behaving badly in the WPS.
“Whether it’s a big ship or a small ship, our stand is that the Chinese presence in our area is illegal,” he said.
“Under the UNCLOS and other international laws that we are following and observing, they (China vessels) are not allowed to harass our Filipino fishermen and even the Philippine Navy vessels in this area,” Brawner added, referring to Ayungin Shoal.
The June 17 incident, which saw Philippine Navy sailor Jeffrey Facundo lose his thumb and others sustain injuries after their boats were rammed by the Chinese Coast Guard, has escalated tensions in the region.
The Philippine government condemned the attacks as deliberate acts of aggression, further straining relations between the two nations.
Ayungin Shoal, also known as Second Thomas Shoal, lies about 200 kilometers (120 miles) from the western Philippine island of Palawan and more than 1,000 kilometers from China’s nearest major landmass, Hainan island.