Blue tagging vs red tagging

Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela is now being subjected to “blue tagging” – a term we coined for individuals labeled as supposedly being pro-America or worse, CIA agents – simply because he has been very vocal about China’s aggression in the West Philippine Sea.

Some anonymous and most likely fake accounts on social media have been trolling Commodore Tarriela ever since he confronted then-Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu during the Shangri-La Dialogue held in Singapore last June, asking: “While China is talking about dialogue, China’s actions show confrontation. Why is there a big difference between China’s words and its actions?” Li Shangfu – who has since been fired – was unable to give a clear and direct answer.

The blue tagging became apparent when the PCG spokesperson posted on X (formerly Twitter) that Filipinos defending and making excuses for China’s aggressive behavior should be deemed “unpatriotic and a traitor to the Philippines and to our people.”

If calling out China’s unacceptable behavior in the West Philippine Sea, particularly the continued incursion of Chinese vessels in areas that are clearly under the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines, is being pro-America or being a CIA agent, then 85 percent of Filipinos should be “blue tagged” because based on surveys, they trust the United States the most and approve of our alliance in defending our territorial rights in the West Philippine Sea.

Needless to say, I have been blue tagged long ago by reprehensible individuals resorting to gossip, slander and innuendo just because I have a lot of American friends. Clearly as Philippine ambassador to Washington – of course it is my job to make sure that relations between the Philippines and the United States remain solid and stable.

There is also the Atin Ito Coalition composed of non-government and people’s organizations which is embarking on a Christmas caravan to the West Philippine Sea as “a stark reminder of the precarious situation our Filipino fishing communities and frontliners face as they valiantly defend our sovereign right to fish… in the face of ongoing harassment by a foreign trespasser and invader,” as a member of the coalition explained when they launched the initiative a couple of months ago.

Should these Atin Ito Coalition members be “blue tagged” or labeled as CIA agents because they are unequivocally insisting that Ayungin Shoal – where the BRP Sierra Madre stands as our sovereign marker – is part of our maritime territory?

Chinese vessels have been continuous in their incursion and aggression, with the most recent display recorded just a few days ago when a Chinese bulk carrier identified as MV Tai Hang 8 rammed the boat of Filipino fishermen in the waters between Occidental Mindoro and Palawan, which is part of the West Philippine Sea. The hit-and-run incident caused the fishermen’s boat to capsize, leaving five of them drifting at sea for almost a day before they were rescued by other fishing boats.

Incidents such as this is the reason why more and more Filipinos are getting angry and want our territorial rights fully protected in the West Philippine Sea because of the threatening dominance that other countries are displaying – taking over areas that are within our exclusive economic zone, stealing our fish and other marine resources, destroying coral reefs, intimidating our fishermen and preventing them from plying their livelihood.

Chinese aggression has been incessant, and this has become a serious concern for many countries that see the bullying as a threat to regional peace and security, which is why the decision of President Marcos Jr. to conduct joint maritime patrols not only with the United States but other nations as well is really very important to enhance regional security.

While we continue to look for ways to navigate the situation carefully and prevent it from escalating, “the Philippine government must strengthen its ability to patrol and protect the country’s maritime zones by building a self-reliant defense posture program and upgrading the capabilities of the PCG,” as House Resolution 1494 stated.

Clearly, we should not let our guard down and must be prepared to face external as well as internal threats, as we have seen in the recent bombing incident at Mindanao State University in Marawi City that killed four people and injured 50 others.

The terrorist group Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the horrific attack, with suspects identified as members of the IS-affiliated Dawlah Islamiyah-Maute group. Many countries have condemned the attack, which has rekindled memories of the siege of Marawi that started in May 2017 and lasted for five months, resulting in the displacement of hundreds of thousands of residents.

Senate President Migz Zubiri recalled that government troops ran out of ammunition several weeks after the battle in Marawi began, but foreign suppliers were unable to deliver. Fortunately, local firearms manufacturer Armscor Global Defense stepped up to the plate and delivered ammunition of various calibers on time – otherwise, the fight would have gone on for much longer. Armscor is an industry pioneer that has since become one of the largest in Asia, and the Tuason family – whom I know very well – are always ready to help the government.

SP Migz is absolutely right in filing Senate Bill 2455 to revive the self-reliant defense posture (SRDP) program that the government initiated in 1974 to develop a local defense industry that would also bring in thousands of jobs for Filipinos. With conflicts happening in many parts of the world, there is now a shortage of firearms and other defense items, which is why the Philippines cannot continue to rely on foreign suppliers for the defense requirements of our armed forces.

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