BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal stays — DFA
GUARDING AYUNGIN – Filipino troops aboard the decommissioned BRP Sierra Madre guard Ayungin, one of the shoals being claimed by China in the West Philippine Sea.
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines will not remove the decommissioned BRP Sierra Madre from Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shaol despite China’s persistent call, saying that its deployment within the country’s territorial waters does not violate any law.
“The deployment of a Philippine military station in its own areas of jurisdiction is an inherent right of the Philippines and does not violate any laws. Moreover, the Philippine station on Ayungin Shoal was deployed in 1999, years ahead of the conclusion in 2002 of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), and is therefore not a violation of the DOC,” said DFA spokesperson Teresita Daza said in a statement Tuesday.
“The Philippines decided in 1999 to deploy a permanent station on Ayungin Shoal in response to China’s illegal occupation of Panganiban Reef in 1995,” she added.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Monday evening claimed that the Philippines has agreed to “tow away” the BRP Sierra Madre multiple times but has yet to act on it.
But the DFA said BRP Sierra Madre is “a permanent station” for Philippine military personnel deployed to protect and secure Philippine rights and interests in the West Philippine Sea.
DFA said Ayungin Shoal is part of the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines. Hence, the Philippines has sovereign rights and jurisdiction over it.
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