No strategy change in resupply missions

GOVERNMENT will maintain its strategy of using military-chartered supply boats to deliver supplies to troops at the Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said yesterday.

Commodore Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesman for the West Philippine Sea (WPS), made the remarks three days after the latest Chinese harassment of two supply boats and three escorting PCG vessels near the shoal.

In a television interview, Tarriela said some people have been asking why the government is not using Navy vessels to deliver the supplies to the troops.

He said the national government, with the concurrence of the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea, believes “it’s better that we use supply boats, not the Navy vessels.”

“We don’t want to escalate the tension, we don’t want to provoke anybody, whether it’s China or any other claimant states. We want to show the world that we are in alignment with the regional norm of not militarizing the dispute,” he said.

Tarriela said the PCG will continue to escort resupply missions to Ayungin Shoal. The troops are staying at the rusting Navy ship BRP Sierra Madre which was grounded at the shoal in 1999 to serve as military outpost.

“We are putting much weight on our alignment with the regional norm that we are not going to militarize this particular operation,” said Tarriela, referring to future resupply missions.

During the latest harassment incident, Tarriela said, 38 Chinese vessels — 28 militia, five Coast Guard and five Navy — were at the vicinity of the shoal. But only five Chinese Coast Guard vessels and six Chinese maritime vessels participated in the dangerous maneuver against the supply boats and PCG vessels.

One of the China Coast Guard vessels fired water cannon on one of the supply boats, M/L Kalayaan. But despite the harassment, M/L Kalayaan and the other supply boat, Unaizah Mae 1, successfully delivered the supplies to the troops

Tarriela said China’s action at the West Philippine Sea should be made known to the world because it’s bullying intensifies as resupply missions continue.

“This is one of the main reasons why we are documenting this and telling the world they are doing these illegal