Coast Guard exec says sending gray ships a ‘policy option’
The deployment of the Philippine warships to the West Philippine Sea amid China’s continued harassment is up to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the Philippine Coast Guard said yesterday.
PCG spokesperson for WPS Commodore Jay Tarriela said Mr. Marcos may consider sending naval ships into the country’s territorial waters as a “policy option.”
Tarriela said while the Philippine Navy is monitoring the situation in the WPS, it does not interfere with the harassment of the China Coast Guard and the Chinese maritime militia against Filipino fishermen, the PCG and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.
“It is up to the Armed Forces of the Philippines to carry out a policy recommendation to the President and the Commander-in-Chief, the President himself, has the full authority to decide on this,” Tarriela said.
“This is not a recommendation. All I’m saying is that in terms of reciprocity, that can be a policy option that can be carried out,” he added.
Tarriela said in the history of incursions of China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) in the WPS, said it was the first time Chinese warships “interfered and participated in the harassment of a PCG vessel.”
He was referring to the Chinese vessels’ aggressive actions on Dec. 4 at the Bajo de Masinloc where PLAN vessels with bow numbers 500 and 571 also took part by tailing the PCG’s BRP Teresa Magbanua “at the very close distance of 300 yards.”
On the same day, the CCG also harassed the BRP Melchora Aquino, BRP Cape Engaño and the BFAR vessels that were deployed at Escoda Shoal.
Tarriela said Mr. Marcos has the sole authority to decide whether there is a need to modify the Philippines’ response to the WPS.
“For the past three administrations, the Philippine Coast Guard has been chosen to be deployed to the West Philippine Sea because, for the past administrations, they believed it is de-escalatory, non-provocative,” Tarriela said.
“(But) the Philippine Coast Guard, we can never replace the Philippine Navy with the issue of territorial defense. And it is very alarming in a way that (PLAN) warships are encroaching on our own exclusive economic zone,” he added.
National Security Council Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya earlier said the Philippines “reserves the right” to deploy its naval vessels in the wake of China’s latest hostile act in the WPS.
“As you very well know, in the past, PLAN ships were in the area but they were just (on) the horizon. They would not do dangerous maneuvers against our Philippine vessels,” Malaya said.
“We do not want to be sending signals to China that they can do what they want simply because we do not want to escalate. Now, it is they that first deployed the PLAN ship. Therefore, it is now, it is also within the rights of the Philippines and we reserve that right to deploy our PN ships in the future,” he added.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines said it will continue to conduct regular maritime patrols through the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Air Force to assert the country’s sovereignty, sovereign rights and protect its territorial waters.
“We are actively monitoring these developments to ensure a vigilant presence in the area. The AFP remains committed to safeguarding national interests and maintaining stability in our maritime zones,” it added.
