MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) brushed off public criticisms regarding their response to the latest harassment of China in the West Philippine Sea, saying they did what they could to avoid escalating tensions in the region.
Commodore Jay Tarriela of the West Philippine Sea Transparency Office of the PCG made the statement after refusing to retaliate, despite the China Coast Guard once again firing its cannons at Philippine vessels delivering supplies to Filipino fisherfolk at Bajo de Masinloc.
Related Stories
"We have a chain of command. We respect the guidance of our president," said Tarriela in a news forum on Saturday.
"The guidance of the president is that we should not be provoked, we should not be the reason of intensifying the escalation for China to justify to once again bring the next level of aggression."
Chinese ships fired their cannons and rammed through PCG vessel BRP Bagacay and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessel BRP Bankaw last Tuesday. This occurred as Beijing persists in asserting claims over features within the West Philippine Sea.
The attacks resulted in over P2 million worth of damages to the vessels' railing and canopy. Among those aboard the Filipino ships were members of the media.
While the Coast Guard personnel share the same level of emotion with the public, Tarriela said that they must remain unprovoked. He also claimed that it's unfair to describe the PCG personnel as cowards, saying that they were just doing their patriotic duty.
"But we cannot do otherwise because we have to comply and we know for a fact – we trust our commander-in-chief, the National Task Force-West Philippine Sea, of course the National Security Adviser – but we have to maintain professionalism in dealing with this kind of bullying of the Chinese Coast Guard," he continued.
The latest spate of aggression was done even after the Permanent Court of Arbitration invalidated China's nine-dash line claim on almost the entirety of the South China Sea last 2016.
The Department of Foreign Affairs last Thursday said that they've already summoned a senior Chinese embassy official over the harassment by the China Coast Guard and Chinese Maritime Militia.
While President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. maintains friendly relations with Chinese President Xi Jinping, the Filipino head of state has voiced his concerns over former President Rodrigo Dutert's secret "gentleman's agreement" with China on the Ayungin Shoal.
US President Joe Biden recently reiterated America's pledge to defend the Philippines from any attack in the South China Sea, saying that it could invoke the Mutual Defense Treaty.