Ayungin resupply completed without incident

Without any untoward incident, the military was able to bring food and supplies to troops stationed at the BRP Sierra Madre, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said as it announced a successful rotation and resupply (RORE) mission to Ayungin Shoal.

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Col. Xerxes Trinidad, AFP public affairs office chief, said the RORE mission was supported by the Philippine Coast Guard and was completed without any harassment or interference from China.

This is despite the continuing presence of China Coast Guard vessels, People's Liberation Army Navy ships and maritime militia boats in the West Philippine Sea.

"The AFP continues to uphold its mandate of safeguarding Philippine sovereignty and ensuring the welfare of its stationed personnel in the West Philippine Sea,” Trinidad said, adding that despite challenges, the military will not be deterred from carrying out RORE and patrol missions inside the country’s exclusive economic zone.

He also said that more recent RORE missions to Ayungin Shoal have been carried out smoothly, unlike in several previous attempts wherein China used water cannons, dangerous maneuvers and ramming to stop the missions.