Contrary to the statement of a Chinese official, the Philippines never sought permission from Beijing for its resupply missions in the Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, according to a National Security Council (NSC) official this Wednesday .
"We do not ask for their permission. We also do not allow them to board our ships to conduct an inspection, even just a visual inspection," said Jonathan Malaya, assistant director general and spokesperson of the NSC, in an interview in Quezon City.
According to Liu Dejun, spokesperson of the China Coast Guard, the most recent rotation and resupply mission of the Philippines in Ayungin on January 24 had approval from Beijing.
Ngunit itinanggi ito ni Malaya at nilinaw na, "Hindi kami humihingi ng pahintulot. Mayroon lamang kaming sistema ng pagbibigay-abiso sa kanila kung kailan kami magsasagawa ng resupply, upang hindi nila ito gambalain."
Interim Agreement
In July of last year, the Philippines and China temporarily agreed to conduct resupply missions for Filipino troops at the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin, after a Filipino soldier lost his thumb in a violent clash between the troops of the two countries. in the West Philippine Sea.
According to former Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, this agreement should only be short-term and should not last long.
Carpio, who was part of the Philippines' legal team in the winning arbitral ruling in 2016 in The Hague, emphasized that China could use the agreement to expand its control over other parts of the West Philippine Sea claimed by the Philippines.
Clarified the Scope of the Agreement
Meanwhile, Malaya insisted that the agreement is limited to Ayungin and does not apply to other parts of the West Philippine Sea.
"It is not true that we follow what China wants. We do not sit down and meet with them every time we conduct a resupply mission," he said.
He added, "There is notification, but it doesn't mean we are asking for permission. Notification is different from permission."
According to Malaya, the agreement is a victory for the Philippines because, "In the end, what matters is that we can keep the BRP Sierra Madre supplied, our soldiers don't go hungry, and we maintain our presence in the area."
