AFP mulls over another resupply run for troops manning BRP Sierra Madre

THE Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is looking to conduct another resupply mission for its contingent tasked to man the BRP Sierra Madre (LST57) within the next two weeks as the supplies delivered to it over the weekend are not enough.

In a radio interview, AFP spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar said the supplies that have reached military personnel aboard the naval transport is only half the regular load as one of the resupply boats failed to deliver its cargo due the harassment done by the China Coast Guard (CCG) and China Maritime Militia (CMM) vessels.

“I’m not sure, but we need to resupply them within the next two weeks,” he said when asked on how long the supplies will last.

The AFP spokesperson declined to comment further as this is still undergoing planning.

Aguilar said they would take into consideration recent events in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) in doing it.

“We will see how we are going to do it, dahil sa nangyayari ngayon sa [on what happened recently at the] West Philippine Sea,” he added. Also, the AFP spokesperson said their objective is to ensure that troops deployed there have enough food, drinks, and other supplies needed to do their tasks.

Aguilar added that the BRP Sierra Madre remains an active Philippine Navy ship and that it is the responsibility of the AFP to man and to maintain it.

“Therefore we have to make sure that BRP Sierra Madre remains to be livable and provides [a] safe living environment for our troops,” he emphasized.

As it condemns Chinese efforts to harass and impede efforts to resupply Filipino troops in Ayungin Shoal, the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTFWPS) earlier said the government would not waver in its efforts to support military personnel deployed in that area.

The task force was referring to the aggressive, dangerous and unlawful actions conducted by the CCG and CMM against the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and Filipino supply ships who were conducting regular rotation and resupply mission in Ayungin Shoal last August 5.

“We will never waver in our determination to resupply our troops stationed in Ayungin Shoal and other Philippine-occupied features,” National Security Council assistant director general Jonathan Malaya said during a joint news conference with the Department of Foreign Affairs Monday.

He also said that the government would not abandon Ayungin Shoal where the BRP Sierra Madre is permanently stationed.

“We provide food, we provide everything, provision, irrespective of what China says, it is our right to bring whatever is necessary to maintain the station and to ensure that our troops are properly provisioned,” Malaya said.

He added that either CCG and the CMM has the right to “block, or impede or otherwise control the movement” of PCG and Filipino supply vessels resupplying troops in Ayungin Shoal or any other Philippine-held features in the WPS.

And while the dangerous action of these Chinese vessels prevented one of the Philippine supply ships from completing its missions, Malaya said one ship was able to reach Ayungin Shoal successfully and deliver much needed supplies to troops there.

“While one Philippine supply boat was blocked by Chinese vessels from reaching the shoal, another Philippine supply boat was able to break the blockade and successfully delivered much needed supplies and provisions to BRP Sierra Madre,” he added.

Rex Anthony Naval