By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Despite the latest water cannon incident and the low on supply boats, the Philippines will continue regular rotation and resupply (RoRe) missions to the grounded BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal.
This was declared on Thursday (07 March 2024) by Western Command Commander Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos who said the deterioration of government indigenous resupply boats will not affect the conduct of the regular RoRe missions.
“We have other options naman na pinag-aaralan namin,” Carlos said.
To recall, during the term of President Joseph “Erap” Estrada, the BRP Sierra Madre, a World War 2 vessel, was deliberately run aground by Philippine troops on Ayungin Shoal in the Spratly Islands to serve as an outpost of the Philippine Marine Corps and to assert Philippine sovereignty.
“Hindi sila mauubusan ng pagkain, ng fuel, ng tubig. Kung ano man ang pangangailangan nila, hindi mangyayari ‘yun, ‘yan ang sinisiguro natin,” Carlos said.
Carlos earlier bared the Unaizah May 4, the Philippines’ newest and biggest resupply boat, was damaged after the Chinese Coast Guard hit it with a water cannon during the RoRe mission on March 5.
In a statement, the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) said two CCG vessels fired water cannons at the Filipino supply boat, Uniza May 4, “causing minor injuries to at least four personnel on board.”
(el Amigo/MNM)
