Ayungin resupply completed without incident

MANILA, Philippines — Without any untoward incident, the military was able to bring food and supplies to troops stationed at the BRP Sierra Madre, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said as it announced a successful rotation and resupply (RORE) mission to Ayungin Shoal.

Col. Xerxes Trinidad, AFP public affairs office chief, said the RORE mission was supported by the Philippine Coast Guard and was completed without any harassment or interference from China.

This is despite the continuing presence of China Coast Guard vessels, People’s Liberation Army Navy ships and maritime militia boats in the West Philippine Sea.

“The AFP continues to uphold its mandate of safeguarding Philippine sovereignty and ensuring the welfare of its stationed personnel in the West Philippine Sea,” Trinidad said, adding that despite challenges, the military will not be deterred from carrying out RORE and patrol missions inside the country’s exclusive economic zone.

He also said that more recent RORE missions to Ayungin Shoal have been carried out smoothly, unlike in several previous attempts wherein China used water cannons, dangerous maneuvers and ramming to stop the missions.

Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. slammed China for claiming that the military’s plan to upgrade its capabilities, which may include the acquisition of mid-range missile systems similar to the Typhon the US military used during this year’s Exercise Balikatan, is the wrong path.

“I think the whole world knows who is on the right path and the wrong path. Definitely, you know, we cannot take advice from people who distort the truth and nobody believes them anyway. So, I think it’s a waste of air time to broadcast the claims of China because only their leadership believes in what they say anyway,” Teodoro said in a chance interview.

“We have the force of international law on our side, not purely Philippine law. China does not have the force of law on its side. It does not have right on its side. That’s why they’re leftist,” Teodoro added.

Asked about the impending visit of United States Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III to the Philippines, he said he intends to have “a review of our bilateral cooperation this time.”

“It is once again an opportunity to also lay down some future plans. Anyway, whatever it is, it’s on an institutional basis, our bilateral relations. There are mechanisms. For example, the security sector assistance roadmap, the bilateral strategic dialogue and other mechanisms like the quad,” Teodoro said.

Meanwhile, Sen. Risa Hontiveros stressed the need for the country to modernize its defense posture in light of China’s maritime threats and incursions at the West Philippine Sea.

In her interpellation of the proposed 2025 budget of the Department of National Defense on Thursday, Hontiveros asked budget sponsor Sen. Ronald dela Rosa for updates on the AFP modernization program, which suffered a P10-billion cut in the House of Representatives version of the national budget.

The Senate proposed to increase the DND budget in the House version by P2.9 billion to P266 billion.

Senators also supported restoring the P50-billion proposed budget for AFP modernization, which the House cut by P10 billion.