The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Philippines said contingency plans in place should China attempt to tow the country’s permanent outpost, the BRP Sierra Madre, in Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

Philippine Navy Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, spokesperson for WPS, said the approach of a towing vessel to the BRP Sierra Madre is a red line. We will not allow that. The Philippine government has red lines. Our contingency plans for that red line have already been established.

Trinidad, however, declined to divulge details of the Philippines defense forces’ contingency measures in response to “red line” situations.

“These are usually operational details that we don’t post public. That is part of our approach in the West Philippine Sea… strategic ambiguity,” he said.

Earlier this week, the Philippine Navy bared that the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) of China has deployed a tugboat near BRP Sierra Madre, but said it was not a cause for alarm.

Trinidad had said “it will take more than a tugboat to pull out BRP Sierra Madre.”

During the forum, the Navy spokesperson said the PLA Navy tugboat is no longer monitored near the BRP Sierra Madre.

Nonetheless, Trinidad said the Philippine military would not allow the BRP Sierra Madre to be towed out of its post.

The World War II-era BRP Sierra Madre has been grounded in Ayungin Shoal since 1999. The ship has become a symbol of Philippine sovereignty in the offshore territory.

Ayungin Shoal is a submerged reef in the Spratly Islands. The shoal is located 105 nautical miles west of Palawan and is within the Philippines 200-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ).