MANILA — The rotation and resupply (RORE) mission to the BRP Sierra Madre — the Philippines’ lone outpost in the Ayungin Shoal — is set to commence “soon,” the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said on Saturday, about 2 weeks after China meddled the operations by launching water cannons and nearly ramming into Manila’s resupply vessels.

The Philippines is “committed to another RORE mission for our personnel and to maintain our presence in the Ayungin Shoal,” AFP Spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar said in a news forum in Quezon City.

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“The rotation and re-provisioning mission that is about to take place soon, but I’m not at liberty to reveal the date. You will just know it later,” he said.

“This exercise of our sovereign rights and jurisdiction is a testament to the full belief in the rules-based international order that underpins regional peace and stability,” he said, noting that the Ayungin Shoal “holds strategic importance for the Philippines.”

While the new operation is designed to be a “a field demonstration of our resolve to stand up against threats and coercion and the commitment of upholding the rule of law,” the Philippines is still supportive of ways leading to “peaceful settlement of disputes,” the AFP spokesperson said.

“We therefore call on all parties to abide by their obligations under international law and respect the Philippines sovereign rights and jurisdiction over its maritime shoals,” Aguilar said.

But he also reiterated his warning for the Chinese Coast Guard “to behave,” especially within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

“They should not do any action that will endanger the people’s lives,” he said.

“All the consequences that their singular act will do, the blame will be to them and to the authorities above them. So they should behave,” he added.

When asked if the Philippines informed the United States, its traditional ally, about the RORE mission, Aguilar said: “The planning is confined within the military organization.”

The AFP official declined to divulge how Manila prepared for the new operation following Beijing’s “dangerous maneuvers” earlier this month.

“That is a tactical information that I cannot divulge right now, but I think what shall be different in the RORE mission that will take place is that all of the world is watching.”

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Earlier this week, the US, Japan and Australia announced that they are looking at conducting a joint naval drill with the Philippines in the South China Sea next week.

The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force earlier said that it would send its largest destroyer, which is set to be upgraded to a de facto aircraft carrier, to the joint exercises happening on August 23.

When asked if the exercises would take place near the RORE mission’s route, Aguilar said he is “not aware of the place” the US, Japan and Australia have agreed upon.

“As for the details of the exercise, it is for them to answer,” he said.

Beijing earlier claimed that Manila had agreed to remove the BRP Sierra Madre from the Ayungin shoal, but they have yet to provide evidence to back their claims.