THE BRP SIERRA MADRE, a marooned transport ship which Philippine Marines live in as a military outpost, is pictured in the disputed Second Thomas Shoal, part of the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. — REUTERS

THE PHILIPPINES’ National Security Council (NSC) on Tuesday warned against a plan for a Christmas civilian convoy to Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea, citing heightened tensions with China.

It issued the statement after a coalition led by Senator Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel’s Akbayan Party announced a plan to hold a Christmas convoy with at least 40 boats to BRP Sierra Madre, a World War II-era Navy vessel serving as an outpost for Filipino troops at the shoal.

“While we support, in principle, the intent of the ‘Atin Ito’ coalition to bring holiday cheer to our West Philippine Sea frontliners, undertaking such a convoy to Ayungin Shoal at this time of heightened tensions between the Philippines and China is ill-advised,” the council said.

The civic coalition on Monday said civilian voyages within Manila’s exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea should be normalized. “For each act of Chinese aggression, the Philippines must respond with more supply missions,” it said.

China has been blocking Philippine resupply missions to BRP Sierra Madre, which Manila deliberately grounded there in 1999 to assert its sovereignty after China’s seizure of Mischief Reef.

The shoal is about 200 kilometers from the Philippine island of Palawan and more than 1,000 kilometers from China’s nearest major landmass, Hainan Island.

Instead of going to Second Thomas Shoal, the group should hold the Christmas convoy in other Philippine-occupied features in the Spratly Islands where Philippine troops and civilians can be found, the council said.

It cited the islands of Lawak, Kota, Likas, Pag-asa, Parola, Panata and Patag, as well as Rizal Reef, which are all in the island group.

“There are also frontliners in those features and they also deserve Christmas goodies and donations from the public.”

By visiting other Philippine-occupied features, the group would be able to “visit a vaster area of the West Philippine Sea” and “fully realize their stated goal of improving the living circumstances and operational capabilities of fisherfolk and other civilian communities in the area, it added.

The group can also turn over Christmas donations to the Philippine Navy and Coast Guard “and we will gladly bring the donated supplies to BRP Sierra Madre,” it added. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

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