The Philippines has never been an instigator of tensions in the West Philippine Sea and will continue to act responsibly despite recurring provocations, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said amid fresh incidents involving Chinese vessels.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, December 10, Marcos emphasized the country’s commitment to maintaining peace while asserting its territorial rights.
“We are going to continue performing our missions. We will never be part of an escalation in the situation in the West Philippine Sea,” he said.
“If we look at the evolution of the situation, the Philippines has never been an agent of escalation of tension,” Marcos also said.
According to the Chief Executive, the Philippines will not deploy warships to the disputed waters and will not retaliate with force.
The remarks come after reports of Chinese vessels using water cannons and lasers against Philippine assets, as well as the presence of Chinese navy warships within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
Chinese forces recently used water cannons and collided with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessel BRP Datu Pagbuaya during a maritime patrol near Bajo de Masinloc, tensions have escalated.
The Chinese Embassy in Manila claimed that Philippine vessels had tried to enter what it described as Chinese territorial waters near Huangyan Dao, the name China uses for Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal. (TCSP)
