Retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio on Tuesday suggested building permanent civilian installations at Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal and other parts of the West Philippine Sea (WPS) to enforce Philippine control over its waters. Carpio made the proposal after two Philippine vessels were recently harassed by the China Coast Guard (CCG) and maritime militia at the shoal, where a decrepit World War II-vintage landing ship tank, the BRP Sierra Madre, serves as the country’s outpost in that part of the WPS. The retired justice noted that in the latest incident involving the Chinese, their maritime militia boats dropped fishing nets to “block the usual entrance” to Ayungin, 194 kilometers off Palawan province, preventing Philippine boats from bringing supply to Filipino troops manning the outpost.

Ramos, M., & Mangosing, F. (2022, June 15). Build outposts, research stations in WPS-Carpio. Philippine Daily Inquirer, p. A4.