WPS situation ‘not anymore normal’ due to China’s growing aggressions—Phl Navy 

A ranking military official on Tuesday said the current paradigm in the West Philippine Sea could not be any more called a "normal situation" with China's more aggressive actions in the disputed waters. 

This, as the Armed Forces of the Philippines, confirmed the latest harassment of the China Coast Guard and Chinese Maritime Militia against the Philippine vessels conducting a Rotational and Re-provisional (RoRe) mission for the troops stationed at the BRP Sierra Madre (LS 57) in Ayungin Shoal Tuesday morning. 

The latest Manila-Beijing confrontation in the WPS caused a minor collision that damaged a Philippine supply vessel and injured at least four Filipino crew. 

Despite the incidents, Philippine Navy spokesperson for WPS, Commodore Roy Trinidad, said the  situation “is not anymore normal." 

“I would like to speculate on the actions of China—suffice it to say the Philippine Navy and the armed forces will continue resupplying our troops deployed in the nine island detachments to include BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal,” he told reporters in a media interview in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City. 

In his X (formerly Twitter) account, Philippine Coast Guard for the WPS spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela confirmed that the PCG’s BRP Sindangan (MRRV 4407), escorting the UM4, collided with the CCG vessel 21555 while sailing in the Ayungin Shoal.

“Throughout the operation, the PCG vessels faced dangerous maneuvers and blocking from Chinese Coast Guard vessels and Chinese Maritime Militia,” Tarriela noted. 

“Their reckless and illegal actions led to a collision between MRRV-4407 and China Coast Guard 21555 that resulted in minor structural damage to the PCG vessel,” he added. 

Trinidad, for his part, confirmed the CCG water cannoned the AFP’s Unaizah Mae 4. There were four CCG vessels and 11 CMM fishing ships present in the vicinity of Ayungin shoal during the incident. 

While there are two Philippine Navy ships stationed 10 nautical miles from the Ayungin Shoal, monitoring the situation during the RoRe mission. 

“I would consider China a clear and present challenge to the Philippine Navy in the West Philippine Sea. The situation is not normal—is not anymore normal, but we are up to the challenge,” Trinidad lamented. 

“It is not normal because the Philippine Navy has been conducting maritime patrols in that area,” he added. 

Citing the historical context of normalcy in the WPS, Trinidad recalled China had started installing markers on Philippine shoals, shallow waters, reefs, our features in the WPS in 1992 while it prevented Filipinos’ access to Mischief Reef in 1994. 

“In 1990, late 90s, they started erecting fishermen’s structures in Mischief Reef. In 2011 they started reclamation, and then they militarized the area. They declared an Addis so it is not anymore normal, it is now the new paradigm or the new environment that the Phil Navy and the [AFP’s] Western Command, and Naval Forces West operating in the WPS,” Trinidad further explained.