AFP chief slams China for deploying warship to Scarborough Shoal

Filipino Times

2 days ago

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. on Tuesday accused China of violating a 2012 agreement by sending a warship to Scarborough Shoal.
Brawner recalled the standoff 13 years ago when both countries agreed to withdraw their naval vessels from the disputed area.
'Hindi ba nagkaroon po ng standoff noong 2012, kung maalala ninyo. Ang usapan is aalis ang Philippine Navy at Chinese Navy. Tayo, umalis tayo. Sumunod tayo sa usapan,' Brawner said in an ambush interview.
'Hindi sila sumunod. So it's really a violation of the agreement that we had in 2012,' he added.
Brawner noted that while President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has directed the AFP to maintain the 'moral high ground' and avoid aggressive tactics, the presence of a Chinese warship marks a different level of provocation.
The AFP is set to meet with Marcos and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to discuss possible responses, including a joint sail with other countries or deploying a Philippine warship to the shoal.
The latest tensions follow Monday's incident when Chinese vessels allegedly harassed Philippine ships during a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and PCG mission to distribute aid to local fishermen. The PCG reported that China's navy ship PLAN 164 and Coast Guard vessel 3104 collided while pursuing BRP Suluan, damaging both Chinese and Philippine ships.
China's Foreign Ministry reiterated its claim over Scarborough Shoal, which lies 124 nautical miles off Zambales and within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone, and urged Manila to 'stop the infringement and provocative activities.'
Scarborough Shoal, or Bajo de Masinloc, has been under increased Chinese control since the 2012 standoff. In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled in favor of the Philippines, declaring Beijing's expansive South China Sea claims baseless, a ruling China has refused to recognize.