President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. stated on Tuesday that deploying Philippine Navy warships to the West Philippine Sea (WPS) is unnecessary, even as China continues its aggressive actions in the contested waters.
“We are not at war,” Marcos emphasized.
A Measured Approach
The President explained that the Philippines’ focus remains on resupplying fishermen and asserting territorial rights, not escalating tensions.
“We don’t need Navy warships. Using them would be seen as a provocative act and an escalation of the situation. The Philippines does not escalate tensions—we aim to reduce them,” he said.
The statement comes after the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) revealed that the decision to deploy Navy vessels to “shadow” Philippine missions in the WPS ultimately rests with Marcos as commander-in-chief.
Recent Incident with China
On December 4, the China Coast Guard (CCG) fired water cannons at the BRP Datu Pagbuaya, a civilian vessel of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), during a maritime patrol near the Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal). The vessel encountered aggressive actions from Chinese ships, including interference from a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy vessel.
Philippine officials reported that PLA Navy ships also engaged in blocking or aggressive movements during the incident.
Maintaining Peaceful Operations
Marcos reiterated that the Philippines has never been an agent of escalation in the WPS.
“We will never escalate the situation. Philippine forces will continue to perform their mission responsibly,” he said.
The National Maritime Council (NMC) echoed the President’s stance, focusing on protecting Filipino interests while avoiding unnecessary provocation.
China’s Response
The Chinese Embassy in Manila claimed that Philippine vessels had intruded into China’s territorial waters, referring to the Scarborough Shoal as Huangyan Dao. The embassy maintained that the CCG acted lawfully in response to the situation.