Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner Jr. on Sunday confirmed that more than 400 foreign vessels remain on watch in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
In an interview with Edniel Parrosa during DZRH Stories: Pinoy Documentaries, Brawner stated that the 400 foreign vessels include ships from Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei, and most of them are still from China.
"Halos lahat ng areas na sinasakop natin ay may mga nakabantay. Halos at any one time, mga mahigit 400 yung mga foreign vessels diyan," he said.
With the number of ships surrounding some parts of the Philippines, the AFP chief assured that some of them are not preventing the AFP and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) from conducting the resupply mission in Ayungin Shoal, and that they are fully aware of the activity.
"Alam naman ng ibang mga bansa ito, so hindi nila pinipigilan halos ang ating resupply sa area," Brawner said.
He pointed out that the only problem is in the Ayungin Shoal due to the tension between China and the Philippines when it comes to supplying food and materials to BRP Sierra Madre.
It can be recalled that the China Coast Guard (CCG) created tension by water cannoning the PCG while escorting the AFP on its resupply mission.
