The Philippine government will not back down from "intrusions" and "illegal actions" in the West Philippine Sea amid yet another dangerous move committed by China in the Philippine waters.
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesperson Ma. Teresita Daza said Friday that investigation into the near collision between the Philippine and Chinese vessels is already ongoing and an appropriate diplomatic action will then be taken.
This came after a larger Chinese Coast Guard vessel blocked a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel in the vicinity of the Ayungin Shoal, which is located in the internationally-recognized Philippine waters. The two vessels would have collided had the commanding officer of the PCG vessel not stopped his ship.
Photo courtesy of PCG
"We take note of the PCG incident report that was actually also raised in the media," Daza said in a press briefing on Friday.
With a strengthened Philippine-US military alliance that came in response to China's aggression in the waters, Daza believed that Marcos would raise to President Joe Biden in their upcoming meeting that the Philippines is counting on the "great powers" to calm the waters.
"We want the waters to be a sea of peace. We are also very wary of possible miscalculation or further escalation of tensions in the region," she said.
"Because if it's a sea of peace, security and stability, then the country can grow, then the region can grow and prosper," she added.
But Daza asserted that the Philippines will always uphold its sovereignty and safeguard its sovereign rights and interests in the South China Sea, particularly in the West Philippine Sea.
"We will do this through diplomacy, military law enforcement and public diplomatic action," she said.
Fighting for the Philippine interests has always been the directive of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. as far as the West Philippine Sea is concerned, according to Daza.
"If there are intrusions, if there are illegal actions that are undertaken in our waters, we do the necessary action," she said.
"And from our perspective, that would mean appropriate diplomatic actions, whether it be in terms of the issuance of note verbales or if necessary a clarifications or a meeting with concerned parties," she added.