Atin Ito First Filipino Community Newspaper in Ontario
THE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Wednesday said the Philippines’ exercise of its sovereignty over its maritime waters is “not subject” to any country’s approval.
The China Coast Guard (CCG) said it allowed Philippine vessels to push through with their Rotation and Resupply (RoRe) mission and deliver fresh provisions to Filipino military personnel stationed on board the grounded BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal for “humanitarian” considerations.
Sought for reaction on the CCG’s statement, DFA Spokesman Ma. Teresita Daza said the “rotation and resupply missions to the BRP Sierra Madre are legitimate and routine activities in our EEZ (exclusive economic zone).”
“The Philippine’s exercise of its sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction within our maritime zones is not subject to any other country’s approval. This is the norm,” Daza said in a text message.
The DFA had said the Philippines decided in 1999 to deploy a “permanent station on Ayungin Shoal [through the BRP Sierra Madre] in response to China’s illegal occupation of Panganiban Reef in 1995.”
The BRP Sierra Madre, now rusting, serves as a “permanent station for Philippine military personnel deployed to protect and secure Philippine rights and interests in the West Philippine Sea, particularly in the Ayungin Shoal and its vicinity,” the DFA said.
The CCG spokesman Liu Dejun said they granted the Philippine supply ships access to Ren’ai Jiao, which is what China calls Ayungin Shoal, since the vessels did not carry “illegal building materials for large-scale reinforcement.
Meanwhile, Armed Forces Chief Romeo Brawner said China was flexing its muscles not only in West Philippine Sea but in the entire South China Sea.
“The mere fact that you started the pump of the water cannon and ready to use it is something. Maybe they were giving a warning to stop us. The element to prevent us is there to derail the supply mission.” said Brawner who released the video on the same day.
Brawner said that although the water cannon “was not fired toward us, we can say they were flexing its muscles, sending us signals that we’re here and ready to use our water cannons against you.”
— Bernadette E. Tamayo and Francisco Tuyay
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