No plans yet to add ships in Ayungin Shoal – AFP chief

From CNN Philippines (Aug 9, 2023): No plans yet to add ships in Ayungin Shoal – AFP chief (By CNN Philippines Staff)

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 9) — The country has no plans yet to deploy more Philippine ships in Ayungin Shoal due to a shortage of vessels, according to Armed Forces (AFP) Chief of Staff Romeo Brawner Jr.

"Well, right now we don't have any plans of adding more ships that we're going to moor at the Ayungin Shoal," Brawner told CNN Philippines' Politics As Usual on Wednesday.

"Not a good plan because definitely we will need all of our ships to be able to sail our seas and we don't have enough ships," he added.

Over the weekend, the Chinese Coast Guard used water cannons on Philippine vessels on a mission to resupply troops on board the BRP Sierra Madre.

The World War II-era ship was intentionally grounded in Ayungin Shoal in 1999 to serve as the country's military outpost in the West Philippine Sea.

https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2023/8/9/No-plans-yet-to-add-ships-in-Ayungin-Shoal-AFP-chief.html