PH Navy unfazed by China’s threat to detain WPS ‘trespassers’

PN spokesperson for the WPS Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad (Photo: Philippine Navy/Facebook)

MANILA – The Philippine Navy (PN) said Wednesday China’s latest pronouncement that it would detain foreigners “trespassing” what it claims as its territorial waters would not prevent the Navy from performing its mandate to safeguard Manila’s sovereignty.

“The guidance is we will just continue performing our mandate of ensuring the territorial integrity of the national territory, protecting the Filipinos, ensuring and protecting our sovereignty. It will not deter us from performing our mandate,” PN spokesperson for the WPS, Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad, said in a media briefing.

He also said Beijing’s latest threat, which he described as lawfare, is based on its 2021 Coast Guard Law that became effective on Feb. 1, 2021.

Trinidad said this tactic is not only being used against the Philippines in the WPS but is also being utilized in the East China Sea against Japan and South Korea.

He added that similar tactics would also be crafted against Vietnam in the coming days.

“After passing such a law, China will remain silent and they will threaten to implement (that) law. That is what is happening right now in the WPS, which they stated that they will start arresting fishermen intruding in their own territory. I would like to emphasize the statement of our Commander in Chief (President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.) this is totally unacceptable, first and foremost, it has no basis in international law. It has already been ruled by the Arbitral Tribunal that the Nine-Dash Line does not have any legal entitlements and any action by the Chinese Coast Guard is illegal. It is unacceptable,” Trinidad said.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), he said, has plans and contingency measures in place should the situation escalate.

“As we have been always emphasizing, the AFP lives on plans. So, we have a lot of plans and if the situation arises, we know what to do. So, rest assured that we have a lot of contingency plans, not only for this particular incident but for a range of incidents that may happen,” he added.

Trinidad also emphasized that China’s latest order seemed to be a response to the sail mission of the civilian organization “Atin Ito Coalition ” last week, which successfully provided supplies to Filipino fishermen plying near the waterway.

“The pronouncement of China was given after the ‘Atin Ito’ caravan, and it was constructed in such a way that it will be in effect in Bajo de Masinloc. So, we have not seen any pronouncement on their side that will cover the nine features in the WPS. Nevertheless, our plans for WPS are still there, we are still able to rotate, to resupply our personnel,” he said.

Trinidad also said the PN’s deployment plans remain proactive.

“We are dynamic, we react to situations. Sometimes they change, sometimes they don’t. So, depending on the situation. So, far our deployment, our forces in the WPS, is still constant,” he noted.