The Philippine government denied the Chinese military’s claim that a Philippine Navy ship “illegally entered” their alleged territorial waters near Scarborough Shoal.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, National Security Adviser Eduardo Año said BRP Conrado Yap (PS39) “conducted routine patrol operations in the general vicinity of Bajo de Masinloc without any untoward incident.”
“It did not illegally enter any space under Chinese sovereignty because Bajo de Masinloc is part of the PH archipelago and EEZ. Chinese vessels, as usual, conducted shadowing on the movement of PS39,” he said.
“Under international law, the Philippines has every right to patrol the length and breadth of the West Philippine Sea which necessarily includes Bajo de Masinloc which is well within the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ),” he added.
Año said “China is again over hyping this incident and creating unnecessary tensions between our two nations.”
“Nonetheless, the AFP and PCG will not be deterred by the aggressive and illegal activities of PLAN Navy/China Coast Guard/Militia in the West Philippine Sea,” the national security adviser said.
He also urged “China to act responsibly, respect UNCLOS, adhere to the 2016 Arbitral Ruling, promote the rules-based international order, and stop its aggressive and illegal actions in Philippine waters.””Following the strong guidance of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., we will protect our territory and sovereign rights at all cost,” said Año.
In another statement, Commodore Jay Tarriela, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea also denied the claims of some groups that exposing China’s aggression in the region will lead the country into war.
“Exposing China’s aggression is not inciting war. By keeping our political leaders and countrymen aware of China’s violations of international law, we are safeguarding our country from political manipulation and disinformation,” he said.
“Also, by calling out China’s bad behavior at sea, we highlight which party is really responsible for raising tensions and increasing the likelihood of a kinetic conflict,” he added.
Tarriela also emphasized that the transparency efforts of the Philippines are driven by our own national interest for the protection of the country’s maritime rights and not due to the influence of the United States.
“The Philippine Coast Guard and other government agencies are utilizing their own resources to document and monitor Beijing’s aggression in the West Philippine Sea. For instance, the PCG has chosen to embed Filipino news journalists to ensure accurate and unbiased reporting of the events they witness,” he said.
“The PCG does not have editorial control over what these journalists report. Our dedication to transparency is independent of any external influence, and we prioritize the dissemination of factual information to the public,” he added.
Tarriela also slammed accusations that “those who are critical of China as anti-Filipino and pro-US” as he stressed that “experts and government officials who are critical of China’s actions in the West Philippine Sea are driven by their dedication to the Philippines”.
“Their arguments are rooted in international law, such as the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, and the Philippine Constitution. These individuals take principled positions based on defending our national interests. Instead of offering solutions that prioritize Philippine national interests, they resort to labeling patriotic Filipinos as pro-US in an attempt to discredit them,” he said.
Tarriela emphasizes that those individuals who claim to be pro-Filipino while promoting Chinese narratives and even contradicting factual reports from Philippine authorities intend to “manipulate public opinion and divert attention from the issue of Chinese aggression.”
“Their strategy revolves around discrediting both the message and the messenger. Ultimately, their proposed solutions amount to accommodating China’s unreasonable and illegal claims, rather than seeking fair and just resolutions that safeguard our national interests,” he said. Robina Asido/DMS