President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has rejected the idea of deploying Philippine Navy warships to the West Philippine Sea, citing the need to avoid escalating tensions with China.
“The Philippines will never be part of an escalation in the situation,” Marcos said in an ABS-CBN News report. “We are not at war; we don’t need navy warships.”
The President emphasized that the country’s efforts are focused on supporting fishermen and safeguarding territorial rights without provoking further conflicts. “It will be provocative and will be seen as an escalation. The Philippines does not escalate tensions. Quite the opposite, we always try to lower the level of tension,” he said.
Marcos assured that the government remains committed to its responsibilities in the disputed waters. His remarks followed accusations from Manila that Chinese Navy ships had been deployed to shadow Philippine vessels in the Scarborough Shoal. The Philippine Coast Guard reported incidents of harassment by Chinese Navy ships in both Scarborough Shoal and Bajo de Masinloc.
