MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines is not the one escalating tensions over the contested sea even as President Benigno Aquino III likened China with Nazi Germany, the Department of National Defense (DND) said.
In a statement Tuesday, DND reacted to United States Air Force Commander Gen. Hawk Carlisle who said that Aquino's comments did not help in reducing the diplomatic row.
"Based on previous occurrences, it is clear that the Philippines has been the object of harassment," DND said.
The country also has the responsibility to serve its national interests by opposing "aggressive and expansionist behavior" such as that exhibited by China in insisting on its nine-dash line sovereignty over the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.
"The Philippines is not only serving its national interests, but also serving the region’s as well, including all states which have a stake in freedom of navigation and clear territorial rights as defined under the principles of UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea)," DND said.
The agency added that the armed forces have only applied reasonable and careful means in addressing the territorial row with the Asian giant.
"We believe that the Philippines' defense and military establishments have exercised maximum restraint with respect to the situation in the West Philippine Sea," DND said.
DND also defended Aquino's comparison of China's position with that of Adolf Hitler's Germany prior to World War II.
"We must understand the statement of President Benigno S. Aquino III in light of the Philippine government’s call to the international community to oppose aggressive acts as they contravene established international conventions," DND said.