The Philippines is using civilian boats to resupply the BRP Sierra Madre at Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea so as not to militarize the operations, Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson for the National Task Force on the WPS, Commodore Jay Tarriela, said on Monday.
"We use civilian supply boats and not navy or military vessels because we do not want to escalate the tension and don't want to provoke anybody, whether it is China or any claimant states," Tarriela said.
He said the Philippines wants to "show the world that we are in alignment with the regional norm of not militarizing the dispute, and not violating provisions that would say that we are using military or navy vessels in supporting our supply mission."
The civilian boats, however, are escorted by Philippine Coast Guard vessels as in past operations like last 10 November when a China Coast Guard vessel used a water cannon against a resupply boat.
Personnel from the PCG and from the Sierra Madre had to deploy rubber boats when the CCG deployed similar vessels to try and scuttle the resupply mission which had members of the media as observers.
The Philippines, Tarriela said, will never tire of exposing the dangerous maneuvers of the CCG and maritime militia which are getting more provocative.
"This kind of behavior is something that should be shared with the world. The Chinese government is becoming more (of a) bully as we continue our resupply missions. And this is one of the many reasons why we are documenting this and telling the world that they are doing these illegal actions. Perhaps they are hiding this grey operation," he said.
Nonetheless, the PCG official said China's actions, like the use of water cannons, have yet to fall under the purview of the Philippines' Mutual Defense Treaty with the United States.
"Under the Mutual Defense Treaty, it must be an armed attack, and the use of water cannons, definitely, is not an armed attack," he said.
Meanwhile, Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar said that no foreign vessels could stop the country from holding regular patrols and resupply missions in the Philippines' exclusive economic zone in the WPS.
"The more that they do that, the more that their credibility is tainted or the more that they are discredited in the eyes of the international community," Aguilar said, referring to China.
"The mere firing of that water cannon is an irresponsible act committed by the China Coast Guard. That is not acceptable. Whether it hit our vessel or not, still it is not proper. It was an irresponsible act of the China Coast Guard," he stressed.