MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. acknowledged on Thursday, February 6, that the Philippines lacks the naval capability to drive away China's largest coast guard vessel from its waters, but maintained that Philippines forces will continue to challenge all intrusions in the West Philippine Sea.
"We don't have the means na paalisin. Buti kung meron tayong aircraft carrier na kasamang destroyer, frigate, at submarine na papupuntahin natin doon para matulak sila palayo. Wala tayong ganoon," Marcos said at a press conference.
(We don't have the means to make them leave. But if we had an aircraft carrier with a destroyer, frigate, and submarine that we could send there to push them back, we don't have that.)
The president was referring to the continued presence of the China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel 5901, dubbed the "monster" for being the world's largest coast guard vessel. The 165-meter vessel has been part of a rotating fleet of Chinese ships continuously prowling the waters off Zambales since January 4.
Despite the military disadvantage, Marcos maintained the Philippines will continue to defend its sovereign rights over its exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
"Kung sa palakihan at paramihan ng barko, malayo tayo sa China. Pero ang policy natin is we will continue to defend our sovereign territory and our terrirotial rights in the EEZ," Marcos said.
(If it's about the size and number of ships, we are far behind China. But our policy is we will continue to defend our sovereign territory and our terrirotial rights in the EEZ.)
"When we detect the presence of a foreign vessel intruding into our coastal waters, we will deploy our ships, challenge them, and make sure they know what they are doing is illegal," he added.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has been mounting daily challenges against the Chinese vessels, including through its flagship BRP Teresa Magbanua. In confrontations captured on video, Philippine forces are heard repeatedly warning the Chinese ships that they are violating the 2016 arbitral ruling that nullified Beijing's sweeping claims over nearly the entire South China Sea, along with the Philippine Maritime Zones Act and UNCLOS.
Last week, the PCG reported that the 97-meter BRP Teresa Magbanua kept CCG vessel 3304 — a smaller vessel than the "monster" — from advancing toward the Zambales coastline. The Philippine vessel reportedly held off the larger ship around 110-115 nautical miles from shore.
Marcos noted that while China often counters these radio challenges by claiming they are conducting "regular peacekeeping patrols," the Philippines' ship deployments will remain constant.
"Even if they ram our ships, use water cannons, lasers, or blocking tactics – the Philippines will always be there, protecting our territory and ensuring our fishermen can exercise their sovereign rights," he said.
The president's candid assessment comes a week after he publicly challenged China to drop its claims in the West Philippine Sea and stop harassing Filipino vessels in exchange for the removal of the United States' Typhon missile system from the Philippines.
On Thursday, he said Beijing has only responded "in general terms."
"They've responded saying that what they do is a lawful exercise, but nothing specific on the missiles, nothing specific on the reduction of aggressive moves – we haven't discussed anything like that," Marcos said.
On Monday, two Coast Guard vessels were observed as close as 34 nautical miles from the coast of Pangasinan, marking the closest approach to Philippine land by CCG vessels, though they did not remain in that position for long.