President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has reiterated the Philippines’ unwavering commitment to defending its territory, emphasizing that the nation will never back down in the face of external threats.
“Kailanman ay di tayo uurong sa pagtatanggol sa teritoryo ng Pilipinas,” Marcos declared during his speech at the meeting de avance of the Alyansa Para Sa Bagong Pilipinas in Mandaluyong City on Friday.
The president’s strong statement comes in response to recent incidents involving two Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) ships and a China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel. The Philippine Navy reported that these Chinese vessels conducted aggressive and unsafe maneuvers near Bajo de Masinloc, posing a direct threat to the safety of Philippine ships.
The Philippine Navy’s BRP Emilio Jacinto (PS35) was conducting routine maritime patrol operations alongside the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on May 5 when PLAN’s Jiangkai II-class frigates, with bow numbers 554 and 573, along with CCG vessel 5403, engaged in actions described as “aggressive and unsafe.”
These actions, according to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), were a clear violation of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs). “The AFP expresses its serious concern over these irresponsible actions by Chinese maritime forces,” the military stated.
Marcos also emphasized that the Philippines’ resources should exclusively benefit Filipinos, reinforcing his administration’s commitment to safeguarding the country’s territorial integrity.
