By Junex Doronio

MANILA — Heeding the earlier suggestion of leading opposition figure and former Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Tuesday revealed plans to construct a permanent structure at Ayungin Shoal will involve an inter-agency program since it will not be a military structure.

This came on the heels of Senator Sonny Angara’s confirmation that lawmakers have allocated funds in the 2024 national budget for the building of a structure at the shoal, which is part of the municipality of Kalayaan in Palawan.

“Siguro po pagpa-planuhan pa ‘yan — it should be an inter-agency program kasi ang name-mention na structure is some sort of a para siyang shelter para sa mga fisherfolks, and therefore it will involve different agencies,” AFP spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar said.

To recall, Carpio has said that the Philippines should build a civilian structure such as a lighthouse or marine research center on Ayungin Shoal, where BRP Sierra Madre has been grounded.

The BRP Sierra Madre, a Second World War era ship, was deliberately run aground on Ayungin Shoal or Second Thomas Shoal in 1999 during the administration of President Joseph “Erap” Estrada to serve as an outpost of the Philippine Marine Corps to assert Philippine sovereignty in the country’s dispute with China over the ownership of the Spratly Islands.

Carpio has reasoned out that a civilian structure could be used to protect the marine environment amid reports of rampant coral harvesting by Chinese vessels and increased aggression by China in the area.

The Philippines has been sending civilian ships to resupply troops stationed on BRP Sierra Madre to avoid militarizing the West Philippine Sea issue.

The AFP repudiated China’s claim of “indisputable sovereignty” over the Ayungin Shoal, a submerged reef in the Spratly Islands that is located 105 nautical miles west of Palawan.

China has been claiming sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, which overlaps with the waters of Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei, Taiwan, and the Philippines.

(IAmigo/MNM)