PH will not deploy warships – Marcos

(UPDATE) PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Tuesday that the Philippines will not send warships to the West Philippine Sea (WPS), despite the Chinese navy’s involvement in the most recent incident of harassment of Philippine ships.

Speaking to reporters in Bulacan, Marcos said the Philippines would never cause an “escalation of tensions” in the disputed waterway.

“We are not at war. We do not need Navy warships. All we are doing is resupplying our fishermen and protecting our territorial rights,” Marcos said in a chance interview .

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Photo courtesy of BCP

“Looking at the evolving situation in the West Philippine Sea, the Philippines has never been an agent of escalating tensions,” he added.

The president maintained that the Philippines has always done the “opposite” of China’s provocative actions.

He also said the country would continue to carry out its resupply and rotational deployment mission in the West Philippine Sea despite harassment from China.

“We will continue to fulfill our mission. We will never participate in an escalation of the situation in the West Philippine Sea,” Marcos said.

“Again, it will be a provocation and will be seen as an escalation. We are not doing that. The Philippines is not escalating tensions. On the contrary, the Philippines is always trying to lower the level of tension,” he said. he added.

Over the weekend, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said the final decision on the deployment of Navy ships to monitor Philippine missions in the resource-rich region rests with Marcos.

Comm. Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Task Force, said it was up to the Armed Forces of the Philippines to make a policy recommendation to Marcos “and that the Commander-in-Chief, the President himself- even, has full authority to decide on this. “.

“It’s not a recommendation. All I’m saying is that in terms of reciprocity, this can be a feasible policy option,” Tarriela said.

On December 4, Chinese warships followed the PCG’s BRP Teresa Magbanua at a dangerously close distance of only 300 meters.

On the same day, the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) also harassed vessels from BRP Melchora Aquino, BRP Cape Engaño, and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources deployed to Escoda Shoal.

The Chinese embassy in Manila said Philippine ships attempted to enter Chinese territorial waters off Huangyan Dao, the Chinese name for Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal.

He said CCG forces acted lawfully to control the situation.

These incidents occurred against the backdrop of a long-standing territorial conflict. China, through its so-called 10-dash line, claims ownership of most of the South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea, which lies well within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). of the Philippines.

China’s ten-dash claims were effectively invalidated by a July 2016 international court ruling stemming from a complaint filed by Manila in 2013. However, Beijing has persisted in ignoring the internationally accepted ruling, continuing to encroach on the Philippine EEZ.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said China’s excessive maritime claims and aggressive actions in the South China Sea (SCS) “threaten” global trade, regional stability and marine biodiversity, as well as livelihood of Filipinos.

Manalo made the point during a Dec. 6 conference at Rome’s Sapienza University on the economic impact of the South China Sea disputes.

The event was co-organized by the Faculty of Economics of the Sapienza University of Rome, the think tank Centro Studi Geopolitica, the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Philippine Embassy in Rome.

Manalo said China’s controversial claim to the ’10-dash line’ in the region undermines the rules-based international order established by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) and the arbitral award from 2016.

In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration invalidated China’s sweeping claim to the South China Sea, which encroached on the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

He highlighted the Philippines’ vast marine biodiversity, the importance of unhindered access to the sea for subsistence fishermen, and the need to preserve marine resources for future generations.

The embassy said Manalo stressed the importance of diplomacy in resolving disputes to avoid global repercussions from potential conflicts.

He said “the Philippines, for its part, chooses diplomacy over aggression.”

Manalo cited the common maritime heritage of the Philippines and Italy and the essential role of the seas in the history and economies of both countries.

The roundtable presented diverse perspectives and highlighted the critical economic and strategic importance of SCS. Participants highlighted its importance as a vital maritime trade route and a key node for global economic stability, the embassy posted on X.

They highlighted the need for diplomacy and cooperation to resolve disputes, respect for international law and the value of collaboration between Italy and the Philippines in defense, trade and naval activities.

They also discussed Italy’s growing engagement in the Indo-Pacific region, driven by strategic, industrial and diplomatic interests.

Advisor Valentine Muisan of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reaffirmed Italy’s commitment to the Indo-Pacific region, its commitment to the rules-based international order and its appreciation for the Philippines’ diplomatic approach to peace.

Manalo praised Italy’s efforts to foster a free and open Indo-Pacific, consistent with Unclos.

The event brought together more than 70 participants, including academics, Chinese and Taiwanese scholars, diplomats, business leaders and students, fostering discussions on this crucial global issue.

Speakers included Donatella Strangio, professor and director of the Faculty of Economics; Alessandro Vagnini and Gabriele Natalizia, professors of the Department of Political Science; Lorenzo Termine, vice-president of Centro Studi Geopolitica; and Stefano Pelaggi, researcher at Sapienza University.