PH vows to defend sovereign rights over Ayungin amid increased Chinese presence

The Philippines on Friday vowed to defend its sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the Ayungin, or Second Thomas Shoal, in the West Philippine Sea amid China's deployment of armed civilian vessels near the country's military outpost in the area being claimed by Beijing as its own.

In a statement, the Department of Foreign Affairs said it is "aware of reports of an increase in Chinese vessel activity" in the shoal.

The DFA said the shoal, where a rusting World War II-era vessel was intentionally grounded by the Philippines in 1999, is a low-tide elevation that is within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone and continental shelf. 

Manila renamed the stretch of waters in the South China Sea closer to the Philippines’ western coast as the West Philippine Sea.

The BRP Sierra Madre was forced into the shoal in response to China's occupation of Philippine-claimed Mischief Reef in 1995.

Manned by a small Filipino navy contingent, Sierra Madre serves as a military outpost and a symbol of Philippine sovereignty.

"The Philippines will continue to monitor the area in the exercise of its mandate to safeguard Philippine sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction and [ensure] the safety and welfare of our troops stationed at the BRP Sierra Madre," the DFA said.

The Philippine military sighted several coast guard and suspected militia ships, accompanied by speedboats fitted with high-caliber firearms, in the area since Wednesday. A Chinese helicopter and a drone flew around the vessels. 

China’s repeated attempts to block Philippine resupply missions and rotational troop deployment to the shoal by firing high-pressure water cannons, intentional ramming, and other dangerous maneuvers have raised tensions, prompting condemnations and concern from several regional and global powers, led by the United States. 

Washington has warned that it has a treaty obligation to defend the Philippines from hostile armed attacks. 

Manila negotiated a landmark agreement with Beijing on a provisional arrangement for the Philippine delivery of supplies to Filipino forces at Ayungin to prevent a repeat of past confrontations.

Signed in July 2024, the agreement that covers Ayungin seeks to avoid altercations and ease tensions after a violent clash between Philippine Navy special forces and Chinese coast guard personnel on June 17, 2024, at the Philippine-occupied area.

Since the forging of the agreement, succeeding resupply missions to the shoal have been peaceful, with Chinese ships keeping watch at a distance.

It was not clear if China's latest actions, which Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. condemned as "acts of aggression," would affect the arrangement. –VBL, GMA Integrated News