Marcos Jr. : No government deal to leave Ayungin

If deal exists, ‘I rescind that agreement as of now’

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines never promised China that it would remove the BRP Sierra Madre from Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, according to President Marcos.

“I’m not aware of any such arrangement or agreement, that the Philippines will remove from its own territory its ship, in this case, the BRP Sierra Madre from the Ayungin Shoal,” Marcos said in a video message sent to reporters yesterday.

“And let me go further, if there does exist such an agreement, I rescind that agreement as of now,” he added.

Ayungin Shoal is located about 105 nautical miles from Palawan, which faces the West Philippine Sea. It is within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone and part of the country’s continental shelf.

The BRP Sierra Madre, a rusty ship that has been grounded at the shoal since 1999, serves as a detachment of Navy troops stationed in the area.

China is also claiming the shoal, which it calls Ren’ai Jiao. Chinese ships have been blocking the Philippines’ resupply missions to the shoal, prompting Manila to file a number of diplomatic protests.

On Aug. 5, a Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) ship blocked and fired a water cannon on Philippine boats while en route to Ayungin Shoal for a routine troop rotation and resupply mission.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines has condemned the CCG’s action, describing it as “excessive and offensive.”

China, whose expansive maritime claim in the South China Sea was voided by an arbitral court in 2016, has defended the use of a water cannon on Philippine ships, saying it was “professional, restrained and beyond reproach.”

It has also described its coast guard’s action as “appropriate” and “in accordance with the law.”

Last Monday, the Chinese foreign ministry claimed that the Philippines had promised to tow away the BRP Sierra Madre at Ayungin Shoal but has yet to do so.

The National Security Council (NSC) also denied China’s claim and insisted that the Philippines would not abandon the shoal.

“We are not aware of it and there was no such promise,” National Security Adviser Eduardo Año told The STAR in a text message yesterday.?In an interview with state-run People’s Television, NSC assistant director general Jonathan Malaya disputed China’s statement that its recent action in Ayungin was beyond reproach.?“They placed the lives of our personnel in the supply ships at risk,” the NSC official said. “So, how can the Chinese government say that their conduct was professional, restrained and beyond reproach?”?The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) also maintained that there was no promise to remove the BRP Sierra Madre from Ayungin, internationally known as Second Thomas Shoal.?“No such thing,” PCO Secretary Cheloy Garafil said in a text message.?

Suspension

Senators on Wednesday welcomed President Marcos’ order to suspend all reclamation projects in Manila Bay – except for one – as they urged the government to reject Chinese-funded projects amid tensions in the West Philippine Sea.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros said the government should reject all China-funded reclamation projects, including the Waterfront reclamation project that contracted a subsidiary of the Chinese state-firm China Communications Construction Co. (CCCC) to build artificial islands on the historic bay.

The US embassy in Manila earlier opposed the reclamation project near its headquarters along Roxas Boulevard for its ties to the CCCC, which was blacklisted by Washington in 2020 for having a role in the building of artificial and militarized islands in the South China Sea.

“Government should not approve reclamation projects by China state-owned companies anymore. Certainly not now. I am urging government to reject all China-funded reclamation projects in the Philippines,” Hontiveros said.

Sen. JV Ejercito, another critic of Chinese-funded reclamation projects, said Chinese vessels undertaking reclamation on Manila Bay should be checked for spies.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri has also called for a boycott of products and investments with China, after its coast guard fired a water cannon at a Philippine Coast Guard ship during a resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal last Saturday.

Sen. Francis Escudero, who earlier said he would not oppose reclamation on the basis of the US embassy’s opposition to it, said charges should be filed against those who pushed through with the project despite its adverse environmental impact.

Meanwhile, senators are supportive of the proposals to reinforce and refurbish BRP Sierra Madre situated in the exclusive economic zone in Ayungin Shoal.

Zubiri committed to providing sufficient funding for the refurbishing of the Sierra Madre.

“Yes... not just to ward off the bullies in the north but also for any possible natural calamities that may put our Marines in harm’s way,” he said. “If funding is requested from us in the Senate, then the Senate will gladly comply.”

Hontiveros said, “If the Philippine Navy, Armed Forces of the Philippines were to make a request that we reinforce and refurbish the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal, I will support that request. We should only reinforce the very presence of our government and country in Ayungin Shoal which is part of our EEZ.” – Marc Jayson Cayabyab, Cecille Suerte Felipe