The Armed Forces of the Philippines confirmed that the Chinese Coast Guard are no longer blocking the resupply mission to soldiers on a grounded ship in Ayungin shoal.

“We had a little talk to lessen the level of tension in the area,” Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla told reporters in Camp Aguinaldo Wednesday.

“We have rotated our troops just recently and we also have resupplied. There was no problem. That is what I am saying that the tension was lessened, and there were no blocking made by the other side (Chinese),” he said.

Padilla said the last resupply mission in Ayungin Shoal was in the last quarter of 2016.

“It happened prior to holiday season which fortunately is a time when we deploy our forces so that those who have been deployed there for three months or more can go back to their families for their much needed rest,” Padilla said.

When asked about when the Chinese Coast Guard allowed the resupply mission, Padilla said it was begun last year.

“It started when you heard that our fishermen can already fish at Bajo de Masinloc, around that time, and a month prior to that,” he said. Robina Asido/DMS

Padilla was referring to October 29 when Filipinos were allowed to fish around Scarborough Shoal. This was one week after President Rodrigo Duterte’s official visit to China . Robina Asido/DMS