Statement of the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea 25 September 2026 | Manila, Philippines
The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) denounces the dangerous interference of the China Coast Guard (CCG) and the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLA Navy) with a lawful Philippine Rotation and Resupply (RoRe) mission to Ayungin Shoal on 24 September 2026. CCG and PLA Navy vessels hindered a routine mission to deliver essential supplies to, and rotate the personnel stationed aboard, BRP Sierra Madre (LS57). In doing so, they put Filipino personnel at risk and obstructed a legitimate humanitarian and sustainment operation.
The actions of the CCG and PLA Navy violate the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs). They are inconsistent with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). They also run contrary to the 2016 Arbitral Award, which affirmed the Philippines’ sovereign rights and jurisdiction in its exclusive economic zone.
The NTF-WPS calls on the China Coast Guard and the PLA Navy to immediately stop interfering with lawful Philippine RoRe missions. The Philippines will continue to conduct lawful operations in the West Philippine Sea and to exercise its sovereign rights and jurisdiction in accordance with international law.
