Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto "Gibo" Teodoro Jr. dismissed China's accusation that the Philippines is doing provocative actions in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
Teodoro said that China's accusation would not affect the patrol operations of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in WPS.
"Walang epekto ito sa operations natin, at kung tatawagin tayong provocative… ang provocative kung doon tayo magpatrol sa 200 nautical mile EEZ [exclusive economic zone] nila, kung mangisda tayo doon. Sila ang nanghihimasok dito so paano tayo magpoprovoke sa kanila? Katawa-tawa naman ang mga statement na ganyan (It has no effect on our operations, and if they will call us provocative, what's provocative is if we will patrol within their 200 nautical mile EEZ, if we fish there. But it's them who intrude us so how come we are the ones provoking? That statement is laughable)," Teodoro said on Friday, Oct. 13.
The defense chief said only China is believing their propaganda as many countries support the Philippines' position in the WPS.
"Sila na lang naniniwala sa propaganda nila. Lalo tayong hindi nakakapaniwala sa mga ganyang salita eh (They are the only ones who believe their propaganda. It makes us doubt them even more with those kind of words). It gives us really doubt where they are coming from, and what kind of sincerity they are proving to the Filipino people with these kind of statements," Teodoro said.
China is claiming a major portion of the South China Sea (SCS), including portions of the WPS.
Two weeks ago, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Wang Wenbin urged the Philippine government to refrain from making provocative actions in the SCS.
This, after the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) removed a floating barrier that Chinese vessels installed in Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough or Panatag Shoal) in WPS to prevent Filipino fishermen from fishing.
"We call on the Philippines not to make provocation or stir up trouble," the Chinese official had said.
But the PCG had insisted that it was only making appropriate actions to protect the sovereign right of Filipino fishermen to harvest resources in the WPS.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry also issued a statement last Oct. 9 saying that Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal in the Spratly Islands has been "China's territory since ancient times."
Retired Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio, who was among the officials who took the Philippines' WPS case against China to the Permanent Court of Arbitration, belied China's remarks and said that Ayungin shoal is a low-tide elevation that is beyond the territorial sea of any high-tide feature, and falls within the 200-nautical mile EEZ from the archipelagic baselines of the Philippines.
Carpio added that the nearest territory of China to Ayungin Shoal is located in Paracels, which is about 400 nautical miles away from Spratly Islands.
He further stated that Spratly Islands have appeared as part of the Philippine territory since the publishing of the 1734 Murillo Velarde map, the first official map of the Philippine territory during the Spanish regime.
Carpio's remarks were backed by AFP spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar as he noted that this "is very important in correcting the narrative about the WPS."
"Justice Carpio’s statement belies the earlier statement of China’a Foreign Ministry with truth and facts. Clearly, our position at the WPS is the indisputable one!" he said.