Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Murasame-class destroyer JS Kirisame (DD-104) during the Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity between the Philippines, US, Japan, and Canada in the West Philippine Sea on June 16. US Navy MC1 Jamaal Liddell

PAMPANGA — National Security Adviser Secretary Eduardo Año said on Thursday that US Task Force Ayungin only provides support to the Armed Forces of the Philippines operations in Ayungin Shoal and has no "direct participation" in rotation and resupply missions to the BRP Sierra Madre.

The Sierra Madre is grounded on Ayungin and is Manila’s lone military outpost in the West Philippine Sea.

“They are providing support to us, for example, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and maritime domain awareness. Tumutulong sila sa pagbibigay ng information on that (They help by giving information),” Año told reporters on the sidelines of the 25th ASEAN Chiefs of Army Multilateral Meeting opening ceremony in Mabalacat, Pampanga.

“On actual direct participation, it [the RoRe mission] is purely and solely a Philippine forces operation—the [Western Command] supported by the [Philippine Coast Guard],” he added.

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III earlier revealed the existence of the “US Task Force Ayungin” amid tensions in the West Philippine Sea.

The US Embassy confirmed the existence of the task force on Monday night.

US defense chief confirms existence of 'US Task Force Ayungin' amid West PH Sea tensions

Austin and his counterpart Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. went to the AFP Western Command in Palawan on Tuesday as part of their bilateral engagements.

The two secretaries visited the command and control (C2) fusion center at the Antonio Bautista Air Base.

The air base is among the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites in the country that US troops have access to.

“I also met with some American service members deployed to U.S. Task Force Ayungin, and I thanked them for their hard work on behalf of the American people and our alliances and partnerships in this region,” Austin said in a post on X.

In a statement, the US Embassy said the task force enhances US-Philippine alliance coordination and interoperability "by enabling US forces to support Armed Forces of the Philippines activities in the South China Sea."

"This initiative aligns with multiple lines of cooperation between US and Philippine forces, including the Mutual Defense Board-Security Engagement Board (MDB-SEB) process and the Bantay Dagat framework, in addition to our longstanding shared efforts to address regional challenges, foster stability, and promote a free and open Indo-Pacific region," it added.

'TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE'

In a separate statement, the AFP said US troops in Palawan “provide technical assistance through the information-sharing group within the C2 fusion center in the Western Command.”

“This support enhances our capability in maritime domain awareness, a critical task that aids in planning and implementing programs and activities to protect our interests in the West Philippine Sea,” the military noted.

Año did not give details on when the US task force was created, saying "that is internal to the side of the US."

He continued: “We have US-Philippine cooperation through the [Mutual Defense Treaty]. We have agreed actions to be taken for the whole year. This is not just centered on Ayungin."

'INTERFERENCE'

In a separate statement, activist coalition P1NAS (Pilipinong Nagkakaisa para sa Soberanya) called the presence of the US task force, even for technical assistance, a form of interference by the United States.

"Under the guise of 'technical assistance' and 'information-sharing,' the US military is actually interfering in the Philippine government's decision-making process and manipulating its actions to serve US interests," P1NAS spokesperson Antonio Tinio, a former ACT Teachers Party-List representative, said.

He said the presence of the task force shows that the Marcos Jr. administration is dependent on US input on handling the West Philippine Sea issue, which he said "compromises our sovereignty."

The World War II-era BRP Sierra Madre, a former US Navy ship, has become a symbol of the Philippines’ determination to defend its sovereign rights over the area against claimants.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea and has brushed aside a 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague that its sweeping claims were not supported by international law.

The China Coast Guard and maritime militia have been harassing, blocking and executing dangerous maneuvers on Philippine vessels conducting legitimate maritime operations, particularly in Ayungin Shoal, Escoda Shoal and Panatag Shoal.

RELATED VIDEO: