MANILA, Philippines – IKINOKONSIDERA ng Pilipinas ang aerial missions para magsagawa ng resupply sa military outpost nito sa Ayungin Shoal, ang BRP Sierra Madre, para makaiwas sa agresibong pagmamaniobra ng Tsina gaya ng paggamit ng water cannons.
Sinabi ni Jonathan Malaya, assistant director general ng National Security Council, na magsasagawa ang Maynila ng “certain adjustments” sa resupply missions nito.
Aniya, ipinag-utos na ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr., ang pagsasagawa ng adjustments kasunod ng pinakabagong resupply trip sa Ayungin na sinalubong naman ng water cannon.
“There is an operational mix that is available to us. We can do other types of resupply other than a naval resupply, we can do an airdrop, we can do other just to be able to resupply our troops and keep BRP Sierra Madre in working condition,” ayon kay Malaya.
“Those adjustments, of course, are there so that we are no longer placed in a difficult position when we do our resupply missions,” aniya pa rin.
Inaasahan naman ni Malaya na ipagpapatuloy ng Tsina na manakot at gumamit ng “scare tactics” laban sa Pilipinas.
Giit naman ni Malaya na hindi sila magpapapigil at “will do what is necessary to keep our troops supplied.”
Sa ulat, ikinagalit ng Tsina ang ginawang pagpapadala ng Pilipinas ng construction supplies at rasyon para sa tropa, sa BRP Sierra Madre sa Ayungin, makailang ulit na hinarang ang resupply missions doon.
At nang tanungin kung ire-rehabilitate ng Pilipinas ang kinakalawang na BRP Sierra Madre, na ‘intentionally grounded’ sa shoal simula pa noong 1999, sinabi ni Malaya na “If the Chinese think that it’s going to fade into the sea any time soon, no it’s not.”
“It is being maintained by the Philippine government. It is our advanced detachment, it is our military insulation to ensure that Ayungin Shoal continues to be an occupied feature of the Philippines and it’s not going anywhere,” aniya pa rin. Kris Jose
