Despite external threats, Philippines not declaring war – Marcos Jr.

MANILA, Philippines — While emphasizing that the Philippines is not declaring war on anyone, President Marcos yesterday vowed to enhance the military’s external defense capabilities as Manila and Beijing continue to trade barbs over their longstanding maritime dispute.

During his visit to the Army’s 10th Infantry Division in Mawab, Davao de Oro, Marcos cited the need for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to boost its capabilities as it transitions from internal security operations to external defense posture.

“I am sure that all of you are aware that the internal threat has been reduced. We now have to also think about the external threat, and that again is a different strategy that we will have to employ,” Marcos was quoted by the Presidential Communications Office as saying.

“We will do everything so you will have the capability. You have the capability to do the job, that is this new job that you have to face. You have the capability. You have the training. You have the equipment and that we will be able to present at least a deterrent force,” he added. 

Marcos made the remark as tensions continue to surround the West Philippine Sea because of Beijing’s aggressive behavior, including its brazen efforts to block Manila’s resupply missions to the Ayungin Shoal.

West Philippine Sea refers to the part of the South China Sea that is within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone and continental shelf. In 2016, an international arbitral court nullified China’s expansive maritime claim in the South China Sea but the Chinese government refused to recognize the landmark ruling.

Chinese ships have resorted to water cannon attacks and dangerous maneuvers to stop Philippine vessels from providing supplies to Filipino soldiers stationed on the BRP Sierra Madre, a rusty ship that serves as a navy installation in Ayungin Shoal. On Tuesday, the military released a video showing Chinese boats chasing after food supplies airdropped for Filipino troops in the shoal.

Marcos said the civilian government and the AFP commanders are doing all they can to make sure that soldiers are “completely capacitated,” but clarified that the goal is not to pick a fight.

“We are not waging a war with anyone. We do not want to invade. We are just defensive and we are just defending our country,” Marcos, also the commander-in-chief of the military, said.

“That is the new threat we are facing, but as I said, if you were able to do it because of the internal threat, I am confident that you can also do it once the external threat comes,” he added.

Marcos also congratulated the division for its achievements and called on members to be peacekeepers by encouraging communist rebels to return to the fold of the law.

Various sectors should collaborate to improve peace and order in the countryside, he added.

At the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Coast Guard Forum in Davao City last Wednesday, Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra said the Philippines would “always seek peace in its relations with other countries” as it continues to assert sovereignty over the West Philippine Sea.

“Even in the face of formidable challenges to the enforcement of our rights to our maritime domain, the Philippines will always seek peace in its relations with other countries. Peace and adherence to international law are values that are written in the Philippine Constitution where we have expressly renounced war as an instrument of national policy,” Guevarra said in his keynote address.

Guevarra also commended coast guard agencies from the ASEAN for carrying out responsibilities that “provides the stability and security necessary for the development of the region free from crime and illicit activities.”

 “It is in your everyday patrolling the seas, consistent conduct of law enforcement activities, and aiding distressed mariners at sea that the purposes of the Convention are realized,” he said, referring to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea or UNCLOS.

 He also noted the ASEAN’s “approach to consensus-building and mutual respect for each other’s processes” helped prevent conflicts in the region. – Ghio Ong