MANILA, Aug. 27 -- Personnel manning Philippine Navy (PN) ships are trained to repulse intruders attempting to board or take over their vessels, according to a ranking naval official.

"All ships in the navies in the world operate with certain bills or scenarios, that includes a bill or a scenario on how to repel boarders. Our ships have that bill and we exercise that regularly," PN spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea (WPS) Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said in an interview late Tuesday.

Trinidad gave this assurance when asked if the PN is capable of defending BRP Sierra Madre (LS-57), the grounded World War II-era vessel that serves as the Philippine post in Ayungin Shoal, in case of an attack by intruders.

On Monday, a tugboa...