Laser-pointing incident: AFP maintains presence in WPS but won't field additional ships

Despite the continuous intimidation of Chinese vessels, maritime patrols were sustained by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) to defend and ensure the country’s sovereign rights although it would not field additional ships to boost their force.

This was bared by the AFP’s Western Command (WesCom) on Wednesday, Feb. 15, more than a week after a China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel directed a military-grade laser light towards a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel in Ayungin Shoal, WPS.

“We have always been on a sovereignty patrol and maritime patrol mission in that area even after the incident. The AFP did not stop performing its mandate to patrol our West Philippine Sea,” said Commander Ariel Joseph Coloma, spokesperson of WesCom.

Coloma explained that the WesCom would not field additional patrol ships in the WPS since they are optimizing the assets that are allocated in all areas of operation by the Palawan-based unit.

“We are optimizing their deployment because that is part of the allocation for the Western Command joint area of operation. We only follow the orders from the higher ups. If there are added missions that will be given to us, we will abide by it,” he noted.

WesCom is the AFP's unit that supervises all the military operations in Palawan, including the WPS. However, the military's limited assets prove to be a challenge to their capability to guard every inch of the vast area.

Meanwhile, Coloma confirmed that the rotation and reprovision (RoRe) mission of the Philippine Navy to BRP Sierra Madre pushed through despite the laser-pointing incident.

Last Feb. 6, CCG vessel with bow number 5205 pointed a green laser light towards BRP Malapascua while it was escorting the RoRe mission of the Philippine Navy. The Navy was bringing supplies and soldiers who will replace those stationed at BRP Sierra Madre, a Navy ship that was intentionally grounded in Ayungin Shoal to serve as a military outpost. The laser-pointing incident caused temporary blindness among the PCG crew.

This prompted President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to summon Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian to express serious concern over the incident while the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) filed a diplomatic protest against the Chinese government.