Chinese Pushed Away From Ayungin — Brawner

The situation in Ayungin Shoal is improving as Philippine troops have been successful in pushing away Chinese maritime forces, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said yesterday.

- PIA LEE-BRAGO

"From what we can see, the situation is improving. We have been successful in pushing the Chinese intrusions into the shoal itself. So we are successful in pushing the Chinese back," Brawner said.

The AFP Western Command has ordered the Chinese fishing nets to be cut.

"They (China) placed fishing nets. The order from our Western Commander was for our troops to cut the fishing nets so that mobility would still be allowed within the shoal itself," Brawner said.

"This is in preparation of course for our resupply mission that we are going to do one of these days." Preparations for the resupply mission, he said, are still the same.

"We believe that the agreement that was set by the DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) and their Chinese counterpart still stands so we're optimistic that when our time to resupply comes, they will respect it," Brawner said.

"But again, I always tell our troops that it's our right to do the resupply mission because it's our right to support our troops in BRP Sierra Madre," the AFP chief said.