The Department of National Defense (DND) on Thursday, Dec. 18, said that reckless and dangerous actions at sea cannot be justified as “effective control measures” as it pushed back against China’s justification for its latest interference with Filipino fishermen and government vessels in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

In a statement, the DND stressed that the use of water cannons, blocking maneuvers, and the cutting of anchor lines are unsafe actions that violate maritime safety rules and put lives in danger.

“The Philippines rejects the erroneous notion that reckless conduct at sea constitutes ‘effective measures.’ Using water cannons, cutting anchor lines, and obstructing humanitarian assistance are actions that place lives at risk and violate basic maritime safety norms. They do not safeguard stability. They undermine it,” DND spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arsenio R. Andolong said.

Three Filipino fishermen were injured and their boats were damaged after China Coast Guard (CCG) and maritime militia vessels used water cannons, blocking maneuvers, and cut anchor lines during a skirmish near Escoda (Sabina) Shoal in the WPS on Dec. 12.

The incident was documented through video recordings, vessel logs, and on-site reports by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG). The PCG said the fishermen were fishing within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) when their boats were hit, damaging the vessels and causing injuries that required assistance from responding authorities.

The DND noted that the CCG publicly acknowledged implementing “control measures,” which “confirms their interference with civilian fishing boats and Philippine Coast Guard vessels providing aid to injured civilians.” It stressed that the Philippines is not exaggerating the situation, contrary to what China was claiming.

“No amount of rhetorical reframing changes the reality that ordinary fishermen were harmed while fishing lawfully,” Andolong said.

The defense department reiterated that the Philippines will continue to protect its people, assert its rights, and uphold international law in a calm and transparent manner.

“We will not be intimidated from benefiting from our resources by China's constant bullying, prevarication, or so-called effective measures,” Andolong said.

The DND warned that intimidation and unsafe behavior at sea pose a greater threat to peace than any lawful assertion of sovereignty and resistance against what it called abusive actions by an encroaching state.

“What truly threatens peace is the persistent, unsafe behavior that endangers civilians and demonize any form of resistance against an abusive neighbor,” Andolong added.