Marcos Jr. : Avoid provocative West Philippine Sea statements

MANILA, Philippines — Officials are under orders from President Marcos not to engage in acts or take positions that may escalate tensions in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

Philippine National Police (PNP) public information officer Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo said Marcos issued the directive at the 2nd Joint National Peace and Order Council (NPOC)-Regional Peace and Order Councils meeting at Camp Crame yesterday. While there was no mention of China, the President was apparently referring to the country’s hostile neighbor, whose coast guard and naval forces had repeatedly harassed Filipino vessels.

“The President said we should refrain from provocative stance in the West Philippine Sea so as not escalate tension,” Fajardo said at a briefing.

Fajardo said Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Romeo Brawner and other ranking military commanders were present during the meeting at Camp Crame.

Also present were PNP officials, governors and some mayors in Metro Manila.

Marcos earlier said the Philippines would never be part of escalation of tensions in WPS, as he rejected the deployment of Navy warships despite China’s persistent aggression in the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Commodore Jay Tarriela, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)’s spokesman for the WPS issue, said at a news forum on Saturday that it was up to Marcos to decide if he would allow the deployment of warships in the WPS to counter Beijing’s aggressiveness in asserting its illegal territorial claim.

“The President himself has the full authority to decide on this but as far as the PCG is concerned, we are going to support whatever decision that the AFP and our commander-in-chief will carry out,” he said.

Tarriela said China has been using its Navy ships to harass ships from the PCG and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.

On X, Tarriela also chided China for making it appear that it’s the Philippines that’s always starting trouble in the West Philippine Sea.

“Our public vessels are significantly smaller than the Chinese maritime militia,” he said.

“How can their presence possibly provoke your massive China Coast Guard ships, which do not hesitate to ram, use military-grade lasers, or deploy jet-stream water cannons?”

“Let us also not forget your People’s Liberation Army-Navy’s warships that support your harassment of ordinary Filipino fishermen,” Tarriela added.

He maintained that the Philippines “does not infringe upon our own exclusive economic zone.”

Tarriela said China’s aggression in the WPS is “outright illegal, unlawful, and constitute violations of international law.”

At the NPOC-Regional Peace and Order Councils meeting at Camp Crame, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said China conducted 348 illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive activities from January to November this year.

Remulla said President Marcos emphasized the need for approaches that would not heighten tensions in the West Philippine Sea.

“He also underscored the country’s move to continue its resupply mission and the protection of its territorial rights, adding the Philippines would be relentless in advocating for peaceful resolutions to the regional issue,” the Presidential Communications Office said in a statement.

Remulla, chairman of the NPOC, reported that China continues to assert its control over the islands and features in the Philippines’ EEZ. –  Alexis Romero, Ghio Ong