More than a dozen Chinese vessels shadowed and attempted to block two Philippine wooden boats bringing supplies to troops stationed at BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea on Wednesday, Oct. 4.
The National Task Force for West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS), however, said that the rotation and reprovision (RORE) mission conducted by the Armed Forces of the Philippines' Western Command (AFP-WesCom) and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) was deemed "successful."
"Despite attempts by a significant number of China Coast Guard (CCG) and Chinese Maritime Militia (CMM) vessels to block, harass, and interfere with the routine RORE mission, Philippine supply ships Unaizah May 1 and Unaizah May 2, escorted by PCG vessels BRP Cabra (MRRV-4409) and BRP Sindangan (MRRV-4407), successfully reached BRP Sierra Madre," the NTF-WPS said in a statement.
Maritime security expert Ray Powell said at least 13 Chinese vessels were monitored in the area when the resupply mission was being conducted.
One of them was a CCG vessel with bow number 4301 which allegedly shadowed BRP Cabra and BRP Sindangan as they made their way towards Sabina Shoal while escorting the Unaizah May supply boats.
Two more CCG vessels with bow numbers 5201 and 21551 were also detected near the shoal since the night of Oct. 3 and "are likely still in the area" when the mission was being carried out," said Powell, a director at Standofrd University's Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation.
Moreover, there were 10 CMM vessels surrounding Ayungin Shoal, Powell stated, as if forming a barricade to prevent the supply boats from entering.
The NTF-WPS said that the resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal and the maintenance of BRP Sierra Madre "are part of regular operations in line with domestic and international law, and ensures safety and wellbeing of our stationed personnel."
"These missions are a legitimate exercise of the administrative functions of the Philippine Government over the West Philippine Sea, in line with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the 2016 Arbitral Award, and domestic laws," it stressed.
The task force also commended the AFP and PCG personnel for their "dedication, determination, and professionalism" in completing the resupply mission.