THE military has ordered the redeployment of one of the Navy’s most-capable ships, BRP Andres Bonifacio (PS17), to the disputed West Philippine Sea (WPS) after undergoing repair.
Vice Adm. Alberto Carlos, chief of the AFP Western Command (Wescom), inspected the ship at the Naval Base Heracleo Alano in Sangley Point, Cavite City on Monday.
The ship has been assigned to conduct patrols in the WPS which is the subject of territorial disputes among the Philippines, China, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei and Taiwan.
The ship was recalled in April for repair, including replacement of battery charger for the starboard main propulsion console, said Lt. Cdr. Randy Garbo, spokesman of the Navy’s Philippine Fleet.
Garbo said the repair job on the vessel was deemed completed on July 4 “upon completion and successful conduct of sea trial.”
“The return of PS17 will definitely strengthen our requirements in the West Philippine Sea,” he also said.
Wescom spokeswoman Maj. Cherry Tindog said Carlos inspected the ship in Cavite City “to ensure the mission-readiness of all assets being deployed in the country’s last frontier.”
Tindog said Carlos also “emphasized the need for support in the timely maintenance and repair activities of all floating Navy assets operating in the Wescom joint area of operations.”
BRP Andres Bonifacio was among three former US Coast Guard cutters transferred by the US government to the Philippines to boost the latter’s maritime defense capability. It was commissioned into service in 2016. It’s sister ships, BRP Gregorio del Pilar and BRP Ramon Alcaraz, were commissioned into the Navy in 2011 and 2013, respectively.
