Teodoro: PH must deter armed attack in WPS

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Monday underscored the need to deter an armed attack following the recent ramming incident near Escoda Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.

Teodoro said the Philippines should make itself strong in order to combat China's hostile actions.

''Let us deter an armed attack. That is the more important thing, that is what I am focused on doing, everybody is too focused on armed attack. Let's make ourselves strong enough so that that does not happen,'' Teodoro told Palace reporters.

Teodoro also said the Philippines should anticipate China's atrocities as Beijing does not even acknowledge Manila's territorial rights in the region.

''We have to expect these kinds of behavior from China because this is a struggle, we have to be ready to anticipate and to get used to these kinds of acts of China which are... paulit-ulit na nating sinasabing illegal pero wala silang pakialam [we've been saying those are illegal but they don't seem to care],'' he said.

On Sunday, China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels rammed and used a water cannon on BRP Datu Sanday of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources near Escoda Shoal.

Further, two other CCG ships could be seen following the BRP Datu Sanday.

Another CCG vessel then used a water cannon on BRP Datu Sanday. A Chinese militia vessel was also seen approaching.

Meanwhile, Armed Forces chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. said the National Maritime Council is already on top of the situation.

''Of course taking orders from the commander-in-chief, the President and still the order of the President... which is not to give up a square inch even a square centimeter of our territory... 'yun po 'yung aming standing order na galing sa ating Pangulo [that's been the standing order from the President],'' he said.

Brawner said Philippine forces would continue to show its presence in the region. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News