PCG calls out some Filipinos defending China's behavior in WPS

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Thursday called out some Filipinos who are supposedly defending China’s aggressive behavior in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), describing them as “traitors” and “unpatriotic”.

“If you are a Filipino, whether in government or private sector, regardless of your politics, defending and making excuses for China's aggressive behavior should deem you unpatriotic, and a traitor to the Philippines and to our people,” said PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela in a statement.

The statement comes days after Chinese vessels used water cannons and conducted dangerous maneuvers against Philippine vessels to block the PCG's resupply mission to BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal.

Tarriela said that freedom of speech should not be misused to justify unpatriotic actions by acting as China’s mouthpiece.

“While I recognize freedom of speech as an important right guaranteed by our constitution, it should not be misused as a means to justify unpatriotic actions by acting as China's mouthpiece,” he said.

Instead, Tarriela said Filipinos should unite in calling out China's aggressive and unlawful actions in the WPS.

“Together, we should stand united in protecting our nation's interests and pursuing a peaceful resolution to the issues. Dahil sa West Philippine Sea ang yaman nito ay para sa Pilipino (Because the resources in WPS are for the Filipinos)!” emphasized Tarriela.

The BRP Sierra Madre has been grounded at Ayungin Shoal since 1999. The ship manned by more than a dozen Marines and sailors has become a symbol of Philippine sovereignty in the offshore territory.

Ayungin is located 105.77 nautical miles from the nearest Philippine province of Palawan and constitutes part of the country’s 200-nautical mile continental shelf as provided under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Beijing, however, claimed that the Philippine ships intruded into the Ayungin Shoal, which it said is part of its territory, and violated China's laws during the conduct of the resupply mission.

China also claimed that the Philippines promised to remove the vessel. 

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. himself denied that the Philippine government had promised China to remove BRP Sierra Madre from Ayungin Shoal. 

“I’m not aware of any such arrangement or agreement that the Philippines will remove from its own territory its ship, in this case, the BRP Sierra Madre from the Ayungin Shoal,” Marcos said in a video message.

The President strongly said that he is rescinding any commitment should there really be an existing agreement between the two countries on the removal of the vessel.

"And let me go further, if there does exist such an agreement, I rescind that agreement now,” Marcos said.

In July 2016, the UN Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, based on a case filed by the Philippines, junked China's nine-dash line claim covering the entire South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea. China has refused to acknowledge the ruling. —Joviland Rita/ VAL, GMA Integrated News