AFP sees nothing wrong with repair works on BRP Sierra Madre

From the Philippine News Agency (Jul 16): AFP sees nothing wrong with repair works on BRP Sierra Madre

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Thursday said it sees nothing wrong with the minor repair works being done on the dilapidated and battered BRP Sierra Madre (LT-57) which is sitting atop Ayungin Shoal, off the Spratly Islands.

This was stressed by newly-appointed AFP public affairs office chief Lt. Col. Noel Detoyato said.

"What the Navy is doing is merely improving the accommodations of our troops deployed there," he stressed in Filipino.

This is in response to Chinese protests concerning the repairs and claiming that they are the victims in the ongoing territorial row in the West Philippine Sea.

"It is the moral obligation of the Navy to take care of its people," he added in justifying the ongoing repairs.

And in regards to the victim claim, Detoyato had this to say:

"(The ship) is in Philippine waters, so who is the victim. They are the ones who are driving away our fishermen from our waters. They are now starting to believe their our propaganda."

The AFP public affairs office chief also dismissed claims made by China that the Philippines is the troublemaker.

"It's not true, 105 million Filipinos will not believe that," he stressed.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=783436