On Araw ng Kagitingan, PNoy pays tribute to 'Ayungin 9'

From InterAksyon (Apr 9): On Araw ng Kagitingan, PNoy pays tribute to 'Ayungin 9'



President Benigno Aquino III paid tribute Wednesday to the nine Marines who stood guard over a disputed outpost in the South China Sea, also called the West Philippine Sea by Manila, amid rising tensions with Beijing.

Aquino, speaking to World War II veterans at rites marking the 72nd anniversary of the Fall of Bataan, vowed to continue modernizing the poorly equipped armed forces as it faced challenges protecting the country’s territorial integrity.

He praised the Marines who spent five months aboard the BRP Sierra Madre, a rusted ship grounded on disputed Ayungin Shoal that serves as an outpost for the Philippines in the remote Spratly Islands.

"Just think of the gravity of their sacrifice," Aquino said. "For five months, their entire world revolved around the sea. They had almost no communication with their families."

"There were even times when the supplies and food they needed were blocked from reaching them."

Despite the hardship, Aquino said the Marines fulfilled their duties with "their dedication anchored on keeping watch over, and safeguarding, our territory."

"The Filipino nation salutes all of you," he said.

The Sierra Madre is a 100-meter World War II-era US Navy ship that was purposely grounded on Ayungin, also known as Second Thomas Shoal, to stake the Philippines’ claim to the territory.

China previously largely tolerated the Philippine presence, but last month its vessels blocked a Filipino boat trying to take supplies to the Marines.
The military was forced to carry out a daring food drop using a small propeller plane.

Late last month, another supply boat was chased by two of four Chinese ships that had encircled Ayungin, but the smaller and more agile vessel managed to evade the Chinese ships, angering Beijing.

Another group of Marines aboard the supply boat relieved the nine-member contingent.

Ayungin is within the Philippines' internationally recognized exclusive economic zone, and roughly 1,100 kilometers (687 miles) from the nearest major Chinese landmass.

But China claims nearly all of the South China Sea, even waters close to the coasts of other nations.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/84470/on-araw-ng-kagitingan-pnoy-pays-tribute-to-ayungin-9