By Paula Bien Valero
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. announced the success of the military’s resupply operation in Ayungin Shoal on Sunday.
The President made the announcement in a visit to Western Command (WESCOM) in Palawan, where he told the troops of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to continue their professionalism, showing courage, and the unwavering dedication to defend the Philippines.
The troops were victorious as they were sent on a “dangerous” mission to defend the country and its independence and sovereignty without being touched by the aggressive Chinese coast guards.
“Dahil ‘yan ang talagang pinaka-importante dito. Dahil delikado ang sitwasyon at kung isa sa inyo nagkamali, o nagalit, o uminit ang ulo na may ginawa, ay magkakagulo nang husto,” the President said.
“But you have not done any of that, you have remained professional. You have remained calm. You have remained mission-oriented. And for that we thank you for your service,” the President added.
President Marcos commended the troops for their triumph on the mission — defending the country’s maritime domain and allowing the citizens to live in sovereignty within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Philippines without starting a war.
“You are doing it. It is nothing less than the defense of the sovereignty of the Republic, the defense of the territorial integrity of the Republic of the Philippines. That is your mission and that is the mission that you have been able to comply with,” the President said.
“Maliwanag na maliwanag kahit gaano kahirap, kahit gaano kabigat ang trabaho na ibinibigay sa inyo ay mission accomplished pa rin kayo every time that you go out,” he added.
A Philippine Navy personnel, Seaman First Class Underwater Operator Jeffrey Facundo, lost a finger while on the mission.
Participants in the mission were awarded medals of recognition for their service and sacrifices to the government and the country.
The President gave the Order of Lapu-Lapu, Kampilan for their service. This specific award is given to government officials and personnel, as well as to private individuals, in recognition of their invaluable or extraordinary service in furtherance of the President’s campaign or advocacy.
Meanwhile, National Security Adviser (NSA) Secretary Eduardo Año accused China of violating international and domestic laws when its coast guard intentionally rammed Philippine vessels and harassed troops onboard during a resupply mission in Ayungin Shoal.
Año said among those laws are the Convention on Collision at Sea, International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.
“Dapat dun lahat ng (All) member states should exercise self-restraint and always opt [for] the use of peaceful means to settle disputes,” Año said in a Palace briefing on Monday.
Año also referred to the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea 1972 which set out, among other things, the rules of the road or navigation rules to be followed by ships and other vessels to prevent collisions.
The SOLAS Convention is regarded as the most important of all international treaties concerning the safety of merchant ships. It includes provisions on safety of navigation, carriage of cargoes, and management of safety operations of ships, among others.
The Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, on the other hand, which was signed by China and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Phnom Penh, Cambodia in 2002, reaffirmed freedom of navigation and overflight, peaceful settlement of disputes, and self-restraint in the conduct of activities.
On June 17, China Coast Guard (CCG) boats rammed a Philippine government supply ship, brandished bladed weapons, and seized disassembled rifles during the country’s rotation and resupply mission to BRP Sierra Madre.
During the confrontation, one Navy personnel had his thumb cut off after it got caught between Philippine and Chinese boats.
Año, however, said the CCG’s actions cannot be categorized as an armed attack based on international definition.
“We cannot classify it as an armed attack because by international definition of an armed attack, it is the use of military force, an excessive use of force that could trigger collective self-defense," he said.
Meanwhile, despite allegations of China’s continued aggression, the Philippines will resort to peaceful resolutions as Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro said the bilateral consultative mechanism on the South China Sea dispute between the two countries is set to meet “sometime in the near future” in the Philippines.
It will be the second meeting between the two parties since January, Lazaro noted.
“There were discussions and some confidence-building measures that have been formulated,” Lazaro told Palace reporters in a separate interview, referring to the Jan. 17 meeting in Shanghai.
“And now we are… it's just that there are certain possibilities of us meeting again sometime in the near future. But this is to complement what has been… it is a very important aspect, is really the diplomatic front,” she added.