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No letup in PH patrols in WPS, says AFP chief

Philippine News Agency

By Priam Nepomuceno
October 24, 2025, 1:09 pm

MANILA -- Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. on Friday assured the public that there will be no letup in the military's patrols in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) despite persistent Chinese aggression.

Brawner gave the assurance in a radio interview when asked on how the AFP plans to fend off China Coast Guard and People's Liberation Army Navy whose vessels are getting closer to Philippine-occupied features in the WPS.

"Kaya't hindi po natin iiwan ito. Tuloy-tuloy po 'yung pagprotekta natin nito ng mga Marines natin, ng Navy natin, and tuloy-tuloy rin po 'yung ating pagpapatrolya doon sa area. 'Yung mga eroplano po natin ay halos araw-araw lumalabas po para magpatrolya (We will never abandon the place. We will continue to protect it with our Marines, with our Navy, and our patrols will be nonstop. Our planes are going out almost daily to conduct patrols there)," he said.

The latest harassment took place on Oct. 12 when Chinese maritime forces fired water cannon and rammed Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources vessels going about their lawful mandate off Pag-asa Island in the WPS.

Brawner said the AFP is using three strategies to contain these illegal Chinese activities: physical presence, creating a credible deterrent capability, and forging alliances with like-minded nations.

The AFP chief also maintained that they will never leave the WPS and the nine Philippine-occupied features, including the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal.

Philippine-China relations over the years have been marked by a series of untoward incidents in the WPS, from dangerous Chinese ship maneuvers to use of water cannons at Philippine vessels, prompting Manila to lodge dozens of diplomatic protests against Beijing.

In 2016, the Philippines won a landmark case against China's massive claim in the South China Sea, including the WPS, before an arbitration tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands. China refuses to recognize the ruling and continues to maintain its presence in the WPS. (PNA)