Trillanes urges AFP to use helicopters anew to supply BRP Sierra Madre

CALM WATERS, TENSE AIR
The BRP Sierra Madre, a Navy warship that now serves as military outpost, keeps watchover Ayungin (Second Thomas), located within the country’s exclusive economic zone. Nearby are Chinese coast guard and militia vessels in this shot taken on February 21, 2023, during an aerial surveillance by the Philippine Coast Guard.
–INQUIRER file photo / NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

MANILA, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines should resume using helicopters to bring supplies to BRP Sierra Madre at Ayungin Shoal, former senator Antonio Trillanes IV said on Friday.

Trillanes made the suggestion after a China Coast Guard vessel fired a water cannon at a PCG vessel and a supply ship delivering food, water, fuel and other supplies to military personnel stationed in the ship which serves as an outpost to assert the country’s claim in the West Philippine Sea.

“Yung resupply mission na yan, ‘pag dinaan mo ‘yan sa helicopters, hindi na yan mapipigil,” Trillanes, who worked as a backdoor negotiator for President Benigno Aquino in China, said over radio DWPM.

(These resupply missions, when you use a helicopter, could not be stopped.)

“Ginawa na nila yan for a few resupply missions pero eto na naman babalik na naman sila sa ganito,” he added.

(They already did that on previous resupply missions but I don’t know why they resorted to this again.)

In 2014, the AFP evaded a Chinese sea blockade by using an airplane to drop food to the crew of BRP Sierra Madre.

Trillanes noted that the military has capabilities to conduct such operations, as shown by these instances.

“Meron po tayong mga barko na may helicopter platforms at pwede silang lumapit-lapit na, with enough distance, pwedeng mag-round trip ‘yung helicopter. Kayang kaya po nila ho yan, abot yan,” he pointed out.

(We have ships with helicopter platforms and they could approach the area, and, with enough distance, they could have a round trip in the area. They could really do it, they could reach it.)

AFP’s Western Command said they are now looking into this suggestion.

The BRP Sierra Madre is a commissioned Philippine Navy vessel which has hosted a small contingent of military personnel since 1999 in Ayungin Shoal, a low-tide elevation about 194 kilometers off Palawan province that is well within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

JMS