PCG spox defends 'West Philippine Sea' in heated exchange with Marcoleta

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela defended his position on the legitimacy of the West Philippine Sea on Tuesday, February 18. 

“I will not agree that you are correct. [The] West Philippine Sea is our exclusive economic zone (EEZ),” he said at the Tri-Committee’s second hearing on the country’s disinformation crisis.  

Tarriela was responding to Rep. Rodante Marcoleta (Sagip Party-list), who challenged his rejection of the congressman’s claim that Filipinos created the name “West Philippine Sea.”

The congressman, however, was more upset by online content that led him to believe Tarriela had called him a “traitor,” even though the PCG spokesperson never used the term in his response to Marcoleta.

Marcoleta even asked Tarriela why he didn’t publicly deny calling him a traitor, urging him to clarify, as he considered it misinformation that needed to be addressed.

Although the PCG spokesperson said that he only learned of the allegations that he called the congressman a traitor from Marcoleta himself. 

Marcoleta made a statement in an interview on February 10 citing Tarriela as an example of someone making a fool of himself or acting ignorant. 

For Tarriela, it doesn't make sense to defend the congressman who just insulted him, whether or not he is a “traitor” or whether he supports China or the Philippines.

“I think I am in no obligation to tell all the social media influencers, to vloggers, [to] defend your name, tell them that you’re not a traitor,” Tarriela said.  

“Again, I did not mention that you are a traitor. Those words did not come from me. Why would I go to the extent of defending you, and you are running for Senate? I might as well be interpreted as supporting somebody for public office,” he added.

What went before

During the joint panel’s first hearing on February 4, Marcoleta explicitly said that the West Philippine Sea does not exist. He also falsely claimed that it does not appear on local maps.

What Tarriela said. In response, the PCG spokesperson quickly reacted the same day with a post on X, saying:

“Hearing someone claim that the ‘West Philippine Sea’ is merely a fabrication of the Philippine government is a disservice and an embarrassment to their entire party, the organization they belong to, and even their own family.”

Tarriela also echoed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s stance, asserting that dismissing the West Philippine Sea — whether as a name or as part of the EEZ — is akin to “giving up the fight” for the country’s sovereignty against China’s incursions.

What Marcoleta said. On February 10, Marcoleta made another comment, saying:

“Kahit pangalanan natin o hindi natin pangalananan ‘yung exclusive economic zone, ilaban natin ‘yan hanggang sa huling patak ng ating dugo. Atin ‘yan. Pero huwag tayong magpapakag*g* at magpapakaignorante katulad nung Commodore na ‘yun. Hindi pala niya naiintindihan an hindi pa siya nakasulat sa mapa ng mundo, ng karagatan.”

(Whether we name it or not, let's fight for our exclusive economic zone until the last drop of our blood. It’s ours. But let's not act foolish or ignorant like that Commodore. He clearly doesn’t understand that it hasn’t yet been included on world maps or maritime charts.)

However, Marcoleta only clarified during Tuesday’s hearing that his point was that the international community does not recognize “West Philippine Sea” as the official name, since it does not appear on world maps.

But why would he even bring this up in a legislative hearing on disinformation? 

For Marcoleta, people may be misled into believing the West Philippine Sea is formally established even on international maps. He cited the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), which coordinates activities to standardize nautical charts.

The Philippine government, however, has been pursuing diplomatic efforts to assert its claim over the West Philippine Sea and challenge maps that fail to recognize it. 

It references the 2016 arbitral ruling in its legal framework, which dismissed China’s nine-dash line claims and determined that China violated Philippine sovereign rights in its EEZ.

Why 'West Philippine Sea' is used

West Philippine Sea as a name has been legally institutionalized through Administrative Order 29 in 2012. It was again defined under Republic Act 12064, or the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, in 2024.  

Both measures state that the West Philippine Sea encompasses the maritime zones on the archipelago’s western side, covering the Luzon Sea, territorial seas, and maritime features of Bajo de Masinloc and the Kalayaan Island Group.

In addition to the legal framework, the National Mapping and Resource Information Agency (NAMRIA) has already marked the West Philippine Sea on its official digital map.

"It is important to note that one of the greatest challenges facing the Philippine government in the West Philippine Sea, aside from China’s bullying, unlawful activities, and aggressive actions, is combating the spread of fake news and disinformation that obscures the true narrative of events in the West Philippine Sea, leading to confusion and division among our people," Tarriela said at the hearing. 

This is just one of many issues raised during the House Tri-Committee’s hearings, which has spent time attempting to address concerns from politicians like Marcoleta regarding personal disputes with individuals or media outlets over alleged misinformation.

The committee’s main objective, however, is to come up with a code of ethics or standards that regulates social media platforms and their users in combating disinformation online.