Philippine Coast Guard honors crews patrolling the West Philippine Sea

The crewmen of BRP Malapascua and BRP Teresa Magbanua were honored for their efforts to patrol the West Philippine Sea and protect Filipino fishermen's safety and rights.

In JP Soriano's Tuesday "24 Oras" report, PCG Commandant Admiral Artemio Abu thanked the Coast Guardsmen in a ceremony.

"[A]lways keep in mind that the coastguard is now the frontline of our government in asserting the sovereign right of our country in the West Philippine Sea," said Abu.

“Malinaw ang pahayag ng ating Pangulo, that what is ours will remain to be ours. We will never let go, even a single inch of our territory, and the Coast Guard is expected to do that."

Amid China's use of a military-grade laser against BRP Malapascua, temporarily blinding some PCG personnel, Abu urged his men not to lose heart.

"The location of the laser pointing incident occurred rightfully belongs to our country. Our position on this matter is recognized and supported by the community of like-minded nations. Our unwavering determination and strong will to uphold our dignity and assert our sovereign rights will undoubtedly make a significant difference," he added.

Abu also warned that if the team failed to act positively, one mistake or a miscalculation could trigger chaos.

Meanwhile, the German Foreign Ministry said that China's use of a laser was a sign of the growing tensions the Philippines faced in the region.

"Your beautiful country finds itself in a region with dangerous political tensions that might explode in any given moment, and what that means in practical terms was illustrated recently during an incident involving a Chinese military grade laser. That might sound like science fiction to us has quite a different very real meaning for you," said German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. — Sherylin Untalan/DVM, GMA Integrated News