PRESIDENT Marcos Jr said the country remains undeterred in protecting its sovereignty despite China’s latest acts of aggression against Philippine vessels in the West Philippine Sea.
The President, in his official X and Facebook accounts, said the illegal presence of the Chinese vessels in the Philippine waters and their “dangerous actions” against the Filipinos were an “outright and blatant violation of international law and the rules-based international order.”
Last Saturday and Sunday, vessels of the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) and Chinese maritime militias ships harassed Philippine vessels at the Bajo de Masinloc and Ayungin Shoal, including firing water cannons at the vessels.
The President said the latest aggression and acts of provocation of the Chinese Coast Guard and militia vessels only strengthen the country’s resolve and determination to defend its sovereignty.
“The aggression and provocations perpetrated by the China Coast Guard and their Chinese maritime militia against our vessels and personnel over the weekend have only further steeled our determination to defend and protect our nation’s sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction in the West Philippine Sea,” the President said.
Marcos said it has long been “settled and widely recognized” that the Ayungin Shoal is within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, while the Bajo de Masinloc is a “sovereign Philippine territory and an integral part of our archipelago.”
“Any foreign claim of sovereignty over it is baseless and absolutely contrary to international law… No one but the Philippines has a legitimate right or legal basis to operate anywhere in the West Philippine Sea,” he added.
Marcos said he has been in “constant communication” with national security and defense officials, and has directed the “uniformed services to conduct their missions with utmost regard for the safety of our personnel, yet proceed with a mission-oriented mindset.”
“To our gallant service members, be assured of our utmost gratitude and fullest support. We remain undeterred,” he added.
The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) said the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG), on December 9, used water cannons and obstructed three vessels of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) that were delivering oil subsidies and groceries to Filipino fisherfolk off Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal). On the December 10 incident, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said the CCG and militias again used water cannon and obstructed Philippine vessels delivering supplies and Christmas packages to troops at the BRP Sierra Madre anchored at the Ayungin Shoal. This damaged parts of the Philippine vessels that were on the routine supply missions.
Prior to these incidents, Chinese ships fired water cannons at Philippine vessels on resupply missions to Ayungin Shoal.
INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT
Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary and spokeswoman Ma. Teresita Daza, in a press briefing, said the European Union and at least 10 countries have signified their support for the position of the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) and have also expressed concern about what is happening in the country’s territory.
Daza said among the countries are Australia, Canada, Denmark, the EU, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Republic of Korea, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States.
She emphasized the Philippines is getting more international backing due to the serious actions taken by China in the WPS over the last few days as it “caused damage not only to vessels, but it can also be harmful to the ones manning the vessels.”
‘UNACCEPTABLE’
National Security Council Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya, PCG spokesperson for WPS Commodore Jay Tarriela, Armed Forces spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar, and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) spokesperson Naz Briguera, in a press briefing, said the latest incidents would not deter their agencies from continuing their mandate.
Malaya said the use of water cannons was “completely unacceptable” while Tarriela said that while PCG vessels have their own water cannons on board, they will not use these and stoop to the level of China.
Aguilar said it is not for the AFP to say if China’s latest aggression is an act of war especially with Armed Forces chief Gen. Romeo Brawner on board one of the water-cannoned vessels.
He said Brawner, who experienced firsthand what the troops and personnel in the supply missions felt during such incidents, accompanied the supply mission as he had was there “to convey the message of the President to our troops that are manning BRP Sierra Madre and to share early Noche Buena because some of our troops there will be there for Christmas or New Year, and these are sacrifices that our soldiers have to perform.”
Malaya, for his part, said it was not an act of war but both the Filipinos and the world saw “a serious escalation (of activities) on the part of the People’s Republic of China.”
“What we have been doing has been standard operation procedure. We are not doing anything different. We always do this humanitarian and supply missions to Bajo de Masinloc in support of our fishermen. We do regular RORE (regular rotation and resupply) missions to Ayungin, but the actions that they have shown in the past few days really have shown a desire on their part to escalate situations. And primarily because there has been significant damage to Philippine vessels in terms of their navigation equipment, in terms of communications equipment, and in terms of engine of the M/L Kalayaan, so we are taking this very seriously,” he said.
He also said that despite the incident, the mission to Ayungin had been successful and was able to turn over the supply to the troops and the rest were sent to the Western Command for distribution to local government units and communities in the surrounding area.
NEW STRATEGY
Malaya said, amid the recent incidents, the NTF-WPS will present to the President a “new strategy” to address and respond to China’s aggression.
“We have to make some adjustments given the recent developments and we hope to be able to present this to the President very soon. So, if the question is, will there be adjustments in our movements, yes, as soon as the President approves the national strategy because the President himself is concerned,” he said.
Asked for details on the new strategy, Aguilar said he cannot disclose operational matters.
Briguera said BFAR is urging China to stop its aggressive activities and refrain from intimidating and harassing the Filipino fisherfolk “who are just lawfully and peacefully fishing in Bajo de Masinloc knowing that it is part of our national territory.”
“The BFAR, despite these challenges, will not be deterred to continue implementing projects that would support our Filipino fisherfolk… So, we aim with this project to equip Filipino fisherfolk with fishing gear and technology to boost their productivity in the resource-rich WPS. In carrying sustainable fishery management, anchored and applicable laws, codes, authorizations or rules, we will continue to collaborate with concerned government agencies and units to ensure the seamless delivery of livelihood services to the West Philippine Sea fisherfolk. We commit to increase, to sustainably increase our fisher’s production to help in the administration campaign in attaining food security,” he added.
LEGAL STEPS
Daza said the government took three legal steps to call out Chinese forces’ aggression and harassment — filing of diplomatic protest using the “maritime communication mechanism,” filing a diplomatic protest with Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which were both done on Sunday, and summoning Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian on Monday to protest the ramming and the use of water cannon.
Asked if the DFA shared the same sentiment of some senators to declare the Chinese ambassador persona non-grata, Daza said it is something that has to be “seriously considered.” She also said it has to be determined if the recent incidents merit having him expelled.
“If you do something or say something that is unwelcomed, then you can be subject to what they call persona non grata. But with this case (with China), I think it’s something that will have to be seriously considered whether the incidents or the series of incidents merit having him be a persona non grata,” she added.
Asked if the Philippines would consider recalling its own envoy to China, Daza said she has not heard of any such plan.
Daza also said a diplomatic protest remains important even while the Philippines has repeatedly filed diplomatic protests and China continues to commit the same offenses,
She said a diplomatic protest has a legal value as “evidence of state practice” and “a formal record of the incident,” and may be used by the Philippines for any legal action that it may choose to undertake in the future.
On the protest filed yesterday, Daza said, “We used the maritime communication mechanism… the Department of Foreign Affairs launched its diplomatic protest with the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs through a phone call.”
‘RECKLESS DISREGARD’
The United States yesterday called out China, saying the latest water cannon attacks were a “reckless disregard” of the Filipinos’ safety and livelihood.
At the same time, US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller stressed that Washington stands with Manila in the face of the incidents which he called “dangerous and unlawful actions.”
“Outside Scarborough Reef on December 9 and again near Second Thomas Shoal on December 10, People’s Republic of China (PRC) ships employed water cannons and reckless maneuvers, including forcing a collision, causing damage to Philippine vessels undertaking official supply missions to those locations, and jeopardizing the safety of the Filipino crew. The PRC ships at Scarborough Reef also used acoustic devices, incapacitating the Filipino crew members, and drove away Philippine fishing vessels,” Miller said in a statement.
“By impeding the safe operations of Philippine vessels carrying provisions to Filipino service members stationed at Second Thomas Shoal, the People’s Republic of China interfered in lawful Philippine maritime operations and in Philippine vessels’ exercise of high seas freedom of navigation. Obstructing supply lines to this longstanding outpost and interfering with lawful Philippines maritime operations undermines regional stability,” he added.
Miller reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to Manila under the 1951 the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) between the two countries
“We reaffirm that Article IV of the 1951 U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty extends to armed attacks on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft — including those of its Coast Guard — anywhere in the South China Sea,” he said.
Sen. Francis Tolentino reiterated his call for Malacañang to send home the Chinese ambassador.
“In light of the ongoing provocations, I emphatically call for the urgent recall of the Philippine ambassador to China. Our nation cannot afford to maintain diplomatic complacency when our citizens are subjected to harassment and intimidation on our EEZ (exclusive economic zone),” Tolentino said.
Tolentino made a similar call last month to recall Ambassador Jaime FlorCruz to express the country’s strong denunciation of China’s repeated bullying on Philippine vessels in the WPS.
Tolentino said sending FlorCruz back home will leave the Philippine embassy in China with no chief of mission, but it does not mean that the Philippines is cutting diplomatic relations with Beijing. — With Ashzel Hachero and Raymond Africa
