1st resupply mission of 2024 in WPS a success - PCG

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) successfully completed its first rotation and resupply (RORE) mission in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) for 2024.

The PCG accomplished its mission despite the presence of a China Coast Guard (CCG) ship that shadowed the RORE mission from January 3 to January 9, according to Dano Tingcungco’s 24 Oras report on Wednesday.

PCG Commandant Ronnie Gavan said patrol vessels BRP Cabra (MRRV-4409) and BRP Sindangan (MRRV-4407) safely reached the port of Buliluyan in Bataraza, Palawan and delivered supplies to their units stationed in the Kalayaan Group of Islands that include Lawak, Panama, and Pag-asa.

“With regard sa latest RORE mission natin, successful po, nai-rotate natin personnel yung mga personnel na nagma-man sa WPS, and naging safe naman ang pag-travel,” said Ensign Dave Gabayan, PCG District Palawan Spokesperson.

(Our RORE mission was successful. We managed to rotate our personnel in the WPS and we traveled safely.)

“With regards sa pag-shadow ng China Coast Guard, sanay na tayo sa ganoong situation, ginagawa naman natin ito on a regular basis, kaya alam na rin po natin ang gagawin. And wala naman dapat ipag-alala dahil nag-ooperate naman tayo within our exclusive economic zone,” Gabayan said.

(As for the CCG shadowing- our ships, we are used to these types of situations. We do these on a regular basis and know what to do. We should not be worried since we are operating inside our EEZ.

Further, the PCG said its facilities in the highly-contested waters are scheduled to be renovated this year using funds sourced from their infrastructure development budget.

The Philippines has called out China over its repeated aggression in the WPS that include the ramming and firing of water cannons at PCG ships.

The July 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling issued in The Hague upheld the Philippines' 200 nautical mile Economic Exclusive Zone (EEZ), outlawed Chinese aggression in the common fishing ground of Scarborough Shoal, and rejected China’s expansive nine-dash-line claim of the entire South China Sea.

Beijing has since refused to acknowledge the ruling.—Sundy Locus/RF, GMA Integrated News