Panayam kay Gen. Romeo Brawner, Jr. Chief of Staff, AFP (December 12, 2023) | UB - video Dailymotion

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Transcript

00:00 We will talk about the next harassment of China by the Philippine ships in the West Philippine Sea this weekend and other security issues.

00:07 We will have General Romeo Browner Jr., Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Good morning.

00:14 Yes. Good morning, Igor and good morning to our viewers.

00:22 I will start first. The next harassment of China, the latest development, China is blaming us for its incidents, General Browner.

00:33 You know, it's funny that they are reversing the real story. I was there in our supply boat in May and I saw their harassment.

00:50 Last Sunday morning at around 4 in the morning, our patenter started with the Chinese Coast Guard and Chinese militia.

01:03 Almost in every ship, there are five Chinese vessels harassing here.

01:11 I saw how they maneuvered, very dangerous maneuvers. While we were walking to Ayungin Shoal, they blocked us several times in front of us.

01:32 They were not content. We are still in the water cannon. Finally, they swam us. They are lying.

01:46 They are reversing the story. In fact, they said that we swam them, which is really impossible because our ship is very small and theirs is big.

01:55 Their ships are gigantic. So really, what they are saying is not true.

02:01 But this is happening again. Do we have new strategies to make them realize that this is our territory?

02:11 We are thinking about it and discussing it. It's not only the military that is concerned here. We have the Coast Guard,

02:19 we have the BFAR and we have the Filipino fishermen. We need a holistic approach. We need a whole-of-nation approach.

02:32 We need to discuss everything, even diplomacy. We should have an effort. We can see that when we file a protest against China,

02:44 we have been talking to their officials continuously.

02:49 Despite this harassment, General Browner, will the authorities in that area continue to resupply?

02:59 Yes. Yes, Egan. Continuously. You know, it's our responsibility and obligation to supply our soldiers to BRP,

03:11 to Issyaramadre in Ayuninshol. This is our post, our military post. In fact, it's one of the front lines in the West Philippine Sea.

03:21 We will not leave it. Our president said, President Ferdinand Bongbong Romualdez Marcos Jr., we will not leave Ayuninshol.

03:32 But General Browner, despite the bombing, almost everyone who went there this weekend, was able to supply?

03:43 Well, we were partially successful Egan because we have two boats. But one boat, MV Kalayaan, was damaged due to the water cannon of China.

03:58 So we need to tow, our Philippine Coast Guard should tow MV Kalayaan, to replace the boat. It was not able to continue to BRP Issyaramadre.

04:12 We were able to ride on May 1. We were the ones who were able to sail and docked at BRP Issyaramadre.

04:22 We were able to deliver other supplies and the present, Christmas gift of our president to our soldiers in BRP Issyaramadre.

04:33 What is your decision on the civilian mission, our coalition? They returned but there's one boat that arrived in Lawak Island to supply.

04:46 Will you allow them to return?

04:49 You know, the decision that they returned was right and it did not continue to Ayuninshol because I saw the number of Chinese vessels.

05:00 I counted, there were more than 40 around Ayuninshol.

05:07 Admiral Carlos, the commander of the West Com, said this is the first time that the Chinese vessels have surged in numbers.

05:18 They are preparing for our Christmas convoy. But it's better if they return because it's better to do the same to them,

05:29 to use water cannon and the worst is that they might be bombed. It's better if our civilians are safe.

05:38 But personally, I would like to encourage our countrymen to go to the West Philippine Sea, especially our fishermen.

05:47 Because that is our sovereign right to fish in our exclusive economic zone.

05:54 So our economic activities in the area should continue.

05:58 Bomb or bomb?

06:00 Yes. We are here, our Philippine Navy and our Philippine Coast Guard, to protect them.

06:12 In fact, when I was in BRP Issyaramadre, I was happy because I saw Filipinos fishing in Ayuninshol and they are fishing.

06:23 Okay. Did the President give orders to remove the floating barriers in Bajo de Masinloc?

06:29 Yes. Actually, the first time they surged, our President ordered to remove it. So we did it.

06:38 We removed the barrier and our fishermen were able to enter and they caught a lot.

06:45 So now, we are doing the same. In fact, in Ayuninshol, they also surged the barrier. We removed it and we were able to enter.

06:53 Some people are worried about the tension there. They think it's a mess.

07:00 Where is this going and can we invoke our mutual defense treaty General?

07:08 We don't need to invoke the MDT because our mutual defense treaty states that if there's an armed attack,

07:19 and the weaponry is not considered an armed attack.

07:23 So what China is doing is to be careful. It's called gray zone tactics.

07:29 But for us, we call it illegal, coercive, aggressive, dangerous and deceptive actions.

07:38 Okay. General Browner, I will also interrupt. What is the latest on the bombing of Mindanao State University?

07:46 We were able to catch a suspect. We believe that he's the one in the video holding a bomb and he was hit by Kaomal to put it inside.

08:04 So until now, our operations are still ongoing, our manhunt operations, so we can catch the perpetrators of this heinous crime.

08:18 Thank you very much APT. I'm Robbie O. Browner Jr. Take care.

08:24 Thank you very much Egan. Merry Christmas to all of you.

08:27 Merry Christmas.

08:30 Egan, you are the first in the news. Subscribe to GMA Integrated News on YouTube.

08:35 To all the people abroad, follow us on GMA Pinoy TV and www.gmanews.tv.

08:42 [Music]

Panayam kay Gen. Romeo Brawner, Jr. Chief of Staff, AFP (December 12, 2023) | UB

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