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Ph should do more than protests vs China – FMJ
By Nidz Godino
“We have over hundred protests already…we have already made similar number of demarche…so we have to do more than just that,” President Ferdinand Marcos Je.said.
Philippines should go beyond filing diplomatic protests against China, as Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) disclosed sending note verbale to Beijing over latest incident in Ayungin Shoal where Chinese coast guard forcibly stopped resupply mission to BRP Sierra Madre.
Speaking to reporters on sidelines of National Employment Summit in Manila, Marcos noted that Philippines had already filed so many protests against China’s actions.
He did not specify what doing more might entail.
Asked if he had summoned Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian to discuss latest incident in Ayungin Shoal, Marcos replied: “we have called him many, many times…well, DFA will have to decide to formalize discussion with the ambassador, but we are actually constantly in touch with him…we have already made our position very clear…we have made our objections to some of actions that were undertaken by maritime forces of PLA ,People’s Liberation Army…also, our objection to that, we have also made it very clear, not only to the ambassador but also to Beijing.”.
On Wednesday, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo told reporters they had already sent note verbale to China.
“So, it will really depend on how formal we want to make this complaint,” Marcos said without elaborating.
Marcos echoed view of Philippine security officials that Chinese coast guard’s actions during June 17 incident did not constitute armed attack, but emphasized they were deliberate.
Under 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty, Philippines and US may jointly develop their capabilities to counter external armed aggression. US officials have repeatedly said armed attack on Filipino armed forces, public vessels or aircraft in the Pacific, including South China Sea, would invoke Washington’s treaty commitments.
“It’s not armed. Walang pumutok, they did not point guns at us…but it was deliberate action to stop our people…and in the process of that, kinuhanan tayo ,they boarded Philippine vessel, and took equipment from that Philippine vessel…so, although there were no arms involved, nonetheless, it is still deliberate action and it is essentially illegal action that was taken by Chinese forces,” Marcos said.
Marcos also clarified previous statement of National Maritime Council chairman and Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin that incident was possibly “misunderstanding” or “accident.”
“Initially, we were looking at data…maybe it was just mistake…but since I visited WESCOM ,Western Command and talked to Vice Admiral Alfonso Torres Jr. and seamen, I said, ‘what really happened clearly, it was not misunderstanding…they really went there to block our resupply,” the President said.
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