PHILIPPINE Navy personnel on rubber boats have been driving away dozens of Chinese boats that were trying to approach the BRP Sierra Madre inside the Ayungin Shoal.
Western Command Chief Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos on Saturday told The Manila Times sampans — traditional wooden Chinese boats — were maneuvering to get near the grounded Philippine Navy ship.
Carlos said Navy personnel were also monitoring the movements of Chinese boats in the shoal’s shallow waters.
He said Navy personnel were also challenging Chinese militia vessels through radio messages, advising them to leave Ayungin.
“As we speak, our troops are being deployed repeatedly to ask the Chinese militia vessels to leave the shoal,” he said.
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At least two to three Chinese militia vessels were spotted near Ayungin Shoal.
Carlos said the deployment of rubber boats in Ayungin is part of countermeasures against Chinese efforts to get near the Sierra Madre.
“When we sighted them (Chinese boats) some 2,000 yards heading for Ayungin Shoal, we deployed our rubber boats purposely to intercept them halfway, forcing the Chinese to stop and decide not to proceed,” he said.
“We drove them away in a non-confrontational manner. Instead, we instruct through hand gesture signals in order to dissuade them from getting nearer to Ayungin Shoal,” Carlos said.
“All contingency measures — in the worst-case scenarios and possible course actions by the armed forces against potential enemies — are carefully planned,” he said.
He said the number of Chinese vessels after last Sunday’s resupply mission to Ayungin had dramatically dropped from 40 to just nine.
Five other Chinese militia ships remained around the shoal, Carlos said.
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