PH Navy: Chinese harassment won't deter WPS resupply missions

From the Philippine News Agency (Apr 17, 2024): PH Navy: Chinese harassment won't deter WPS resupply missions (By Priam Nepomuceno)

UNDETERRED. The water cannon attack by the Chinese Coast Guard on the Philippine resupply boat Unaizah May 4 during a RORE mission on March 23, 2024. The Philippine Navy on Tuesday (April 16) said the country's RORE missions would not be deterred by China's aggressive actions. (screengrab from AFP video)

MANILA – The Philippines' rotation and reprovisioning (RORE) missions in its detachments in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) would not be deterred by China's harassment tactics, a ranking Philippine Navy (PN) official said on Tuesday.

PN spokesperson for the WPS Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad gave the assurance when asked what adjustments the country would make to guarantee the harassment of the March 23 RORE mission to Ayungin Shoal would not be repeated.

"There will be adjustments, I could not speculate or I don't want to jumpstart what the tactical actions will be but we will be adjusting. the broad picture is that we will not be deterred in conducting our rotation of troops and providing them their reprovisions, resupplies," he added in a briefing.

During the March 23 incident, a water cannon attack by the Chinese Coast Guard damaged Manila's resupply boat Unaizah May 4, injuring three Filipino crew members.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. called for the implementation of a "response and countermeasures package" following the incident.

Asked if this means using smaller ships to deliver the supplies, Trinidad said that there would be "appropriate changes to adjust to operational realities"

"It is our mandate to ensure that our troops are rotated and given the appropriate supplies on time," he added.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1222788