By Robina Asido

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawer Jr. ordered troops based in Ayungin Shoal not to allow Chinese to board BRP Sierra Madre after a small boat of China tried to come near the grounded World War II Navy vessel.

"I ordered the troops to stop the Chinese from boarding BRP Sierra Madre... of course that is a possibility, because if they do that we will prevent them from doing so because by boarding our ship it's like coming into our territory," Brawner told reporters in an interview in Makati City on Friday.

"They are tempting to come closer but we are pushing them back, even though we saw in the pictures and the videos that we only use rubber boats while they use bigger boats but we continue to push them," he said.

"(They are) more aggressive now. This could be a result of the collision incident in Scarborough Shoal. When their ships collided, they got embarrassed in the international arena because of that, and so I think because of that, they are doing things to give us difficulties but still as I said we will assert and protect our sovereignty and sovereign rights," he added.

Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, Philippine Navy spokesman for the West Philippine Sea, confirmed that one of China's small boats tried to come closer up to 50 to 75 meters to BRP Sierra Madre.

"It was driven away by two of our rubber boats," he said.

Brawner confirmed the increased number of Chinese vessels in the vicinity of Ayungin Shoal which was monitored since last Wednesday are still in the area.

"They are still there, so we are continuously monitoring their activities in Ayungin Shoal, our guidance to our troops there is to practice maximum tolerance and still observe the rule of law," he said.

"We will just let China violate the rules of engagement or international law. We will remain in our post and we will make sure that we will continue to uphold our sovereignty and sovereign right because the significance, because the presence of BRP Sierra Madre there symbolizes our assertion of our rights to our EEZ," he added.

According to the AFP, China conducted maneuvers and drills involving the use of water cannons at sea by their Coast Guard vessels, "while a number of smaller craft such as rigid-hulled inflatable boats (RHIBs) and fast boats, were also deployed inside the shoal."

"Some of the CCG’s fast boats were also observed to have been upgraded with mounted weapons, including heavy crew-served weapons. In total, five China Coast Guard vessels were present, supported by 11 (rigid hull inflatable boats) RHIBs/fast boats and nine Chinese maritime militia vessels. Aerial assets were also monitored during the deployment, including one rotary aircraft and on unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)," it added.

Trinidad said the activity of the Chinese vessels and aircraft which increased to a total of 27 since Wednesday (Aug. 20) is "unusual".

"It is unusual for them to show that they are testing their water cannons, showing their crew served weapon most likely with that of a heavy machine gun in front of their RHIB although it is covered," he said.

"This is a form of intimidation. They are trying to intimidate us. They are trying to coerce us to show their capability... We have been here before... so we will not be intimidated by their display of force," he added.

Brawner said amid the continuing tension, the AFP does not yet see the need to deploy more troops in Ayungin but he noted that the military is studying the possibility.

"Under the rules of engagement we will apply appropriate force considering the situation so if like what we saw in the video that they already have weapons, they have machine guns onboard, high caliber weapons, of course we are ready for that," he said.

"We are ready for any eventuality this action that we are going to take does not only involve the AFP but also with the other government agencies," he added.

Trinidad said the Chinese vessels are also laying fishing nets which are being removed by the Filipinos troops stationed in BRP Sierra Madre.

"They are laying fishing nets which we know are not for fishing activity but probably if they expect the rotation and resupply (RORE mission) then maybe to intimidate us to make it difficult for us to conduct the RORE," he said.

"Laying of nets will impede any watercraft, the guidance of Western Command (Wescom) is to remove these nets, and it has been done by our troops since August 20," he said.

Brawner did not give specific details on when will be the next rotation and resupply mission but he assures that the military RORE (rotation and resupply) mission for the troops in Ayungin shoal "will continue because we need to take care of our troops in BRP Sierra Madre." DMS