• last week
Mga barko ng Pilipinas, nakaranas ng blocking, shadowing, at iba pang dangerous maneuvers mula sa China;

People's Liberation Army ng China, unang beses na tumulong sa panggigipit sa mga barko ng Pilipinas;

Iba't ibang bansa, muling kinondena ang panibagong panggigipit ng China sa Pilipinas

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Transcript
00:00A new incident in Bajo de Masilok and Escoda Shoal.
00:04We will talk with Undersecretary Alexander Lopez,
00:09the spokesperson of the National Maritime Council.
00:13Usec Lopez, good afternoon and welcome to Bagong Pilipinas.
00:17Good afternoon, Nina and Director Nicolette.
00:21To our televiewers, good afternoon as well.
00:24Usec, first, what did the government do
00:28after the recent harassment of the China Coast Guard
00:31and People's Liberation Army Navy
00:34in the routine maritime patrols in Bajo de Masilok?
00:38Well, it's a bit sad because for the past several days,
00:42the activities in the West Philippine Sea have slowed down.
00:46Now, especially yesterday, there were two situations,
00:50one in Bajo de Masilok and one in Escoda Shoal.
00:55Our government sent Coast Guard and BFAR vessels
00:59to patrol the sea.
01:03And secondly, to provide support to our fishermen
01:07who are fishing in Bajo de Masilok and Escoda Shoal.
01:13This support is to provide them with food and fuel
01:17so that their fishing in Malugon will continue.
01:21Unfortunately, our BFAR and Coast Guard vessels
01:26were blocked by the Coast Guard vessel
01:29and they were swept away.
01:31We can see that they chased us without our cannon.
01:36Then, it's not right what China said,
01:41that we are the ones who are chasing,
01:43we are the ones who are approaching them
01:46and we are the ones who are acting aggressively.
01:50We released a video, a picture,
01:53where we are trying to debunk the narrative of China.
02:00So, we saw that they were the ones who attacked,
02:01they were the ones who sideswiped our vessels.
02:06And we also saw the presence of a PLA Navy.
02:12Basically, before this,
02:14because in the past, they were just in the background,
02:16but now, they are approaching
02:18and they are the ones who are fighting
02:21and blocking the path of our Coast Guard and BFAR vessels.
02:26Yusec, is it true that this is the first time
02:30that the People's Liberation Army,
02:32the Navy of China,
02:34helped in harassing the Philippine ships?
02:36What does this movement of China mean?
02:40That's right.
02:42As I said earlier,
02:43in the past, they were just in the background,
02:45but now, they are approaching.
02:46They are attacking their Coast Guard vessels
02:50and they are blocking our ships.
02:53What I want to say here is that
02:57their narrative is that they control the area,
03:01but their mere presence in the area is illegal.
03:04As per international law,
03:06UNCLOS and the 26th Arbitration Ruling,
03:09that area is ours.
03:12Their presence there and what they are doing is illegal.
03:15More so, they are blocking our legitimate activities.
03:21Providing humanitarian assistance to our fishermen,
03:24Filipino fishermen.
03:26Legitimately fishing there for our
03:29Bahaudimasin Loc and Escoda Shoals.
03:33Is their presence okay?
03:35As I said earlier, this is the first time.
03:38Is this going to escalate our situation there?
03:42We hope not.
03:43That's why we are calling the attention of the Chinese government.
03:49Because when they send their Navy vessels,
03:53it escalates.
03:55The area becomes more militarized.
03:59And of course, when the ships are fighting there,
04:02it sends a chilling effect.
04:05Especially civilian vessels.
04:08The area becomes more militarized.
04:11So that's why,
04:13although on the part of our government,
04:15especially our armed forces,
04:17we expect these things.
04:18Because they are trying to come up with a narrative that
04:21they own the area,
04:22they control the area.
04:24But in truth and in fact, it's not. It's wrong.
04:27If you face that kind of situation,
04:30our Navy is there,
04:32and we are always being attacked and attacked,
04:36the narrative is repeated.
04:39When will we be able to protect ourselves more?
04:43At least, we won't be attacked like this,
04:46or watered down.
04:47I mean, it's a good thing that no one is dying yet.
04:51Well, we understand the feelings of our fellow countrymen.
04:56Why don't we deploy the Navy?
04:58You know, our position there,
05:00especially, our President is very clear that
05:03all disputes,
05:06conflict situations,
05:08we will do it in a peaceful means.
05:11Our diplomatic actions and mechanisms.
05:13Because if we send the Navy there,
05:16you know what I said earlier,
05:17if Navy to Navy,
05:18there will be an escalation.
05:21And we do not know what will happen next,
05:23if ever there is a misunderstanding,
05:26misinformation.
05:28And of course, it will escalate.
05:30It's the same ship of war.
05:33So we might as well
05:35put our Navy vessels far away,
05:38but we are trying to monitor their activities.
05:40We can't bring them closer because it will create a conflict.
05:44So that will escalate the situation.
05:46As I said earlier,
05:47our President is very clear that
05:49we will resolve these situations in a peaceful manner
05:54through diplomatic channels and mechanisms.
05:57So what is the update, sir, on the damages
06:00that the Philippine Navy suffered before?
06:03And how are our people
06:05who are part of this maritime patrol?
06:08Well, as of now,
06:09we are still waiting for the reports
06:13coming from the B4 and Coast Guard.
06:15They are continuously assessing their damages.
06:18And once these damages will be completed,
06:21they will be reporting to their respective heads of agencies.
06:26And hopefully,
06:28this will now serve as the basis for our,
06:32for example, the Department of Foreign Affairs,
06:34to decide if we will be responsible for the damages or not.
06:37So, again, it's the purview of the DFA.
06:40Yusec, for our fellow countrymen,
06:43how is our strategic presence right now,
06:47particularly here in Escoda Shoal?
06:49How many Chinese vessels are there
06:52in Bajo de Masinloc and Escoda?
06:54Yeah.
06:55Let me just explain our strategic presence.
06:58Because our presence in the West Philippines, especially,
07:02is not limited to one or two vessels
07:07whose position is almost permanent.
07:09It is a combination now of maritime patrols,
07:14both surface and the air.
07:16And we are also using technical capabilities
07:19so that we can maximize the use and coverage of our assets.
07:23So, not just in one place,
07:26Bajo de Masinloc, Escoda Shoal, or even now,
07:28but with this equipment and capabilities in unison,
07:32we can cover the wider areas of the West Philippines.
07:38So, that's how we maintain our strategic presence.
07:41We will be able to monitor activities,
07:45we will be able to document activities,
07:47and come up with more purposive actions if needed.
07:53Okay.
07:53USEC said that China submitted a statement to the United Nations
07:58in which there is a chart showing the Bajo de Masinloc
08:02or Escoda Shoal in their territorial waters.
08:06What can the NMC say about this?
08:08For a fair comment,
08:12actually, China did that through the international norms.
08:17That's what we did.
08:18But the question here is, what is their basis?
08:21What is their basis?
08:22Because what they report there is ours.
08:25Based on UNCLOS and based on the 26th Arbiter Ruling,
08:28the place they say is ours.
08:31So, again, while they're working on the proper international processes,
08:36the question is, what is their basis?
08:39Because the Escoda Shoal,
08:41it's about 120 nautical miles from ours.
08:44Meanwhile, their harbour,
08:46Hainan is the closest province to China,
08:50and that's more than 500 nautical miles away.
08:52If they say it's an exclusive economic zone,
08:54that should be within 200 nautical miles.
08:57You just imagine, 500 is against 200.
08:59For us, it's way inside 200 nautical miles of the Bajo de Masinloc.
09:04But for them, it's far.
09:05So, what is their basis?
09:06They're saying it's a historical claim.
09:08There's no such thing as UNCLOS.
09:10There's no such thing as UNCLOS.
09:12USEC also recently condemned several countries
09:15for China's new harassment of Philippine ships.
09:19And they expressed their support for our country.
09:22What can our government say about this?
09:25You know, it's heart-wrenching to give statements of support.
09:30Running 12 countries,
09:34they have sent their statements of support.
09:38US, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan,
09:43and seven others more.
09:46Again, we are thankful to them
09:49because these actions prove
09:54the common understanding, common sympathy
09:57that these countries share the same thought
10:02on international order but rules-based.
10:06You know, the narrative of China
10:10is that their target is internal audience.
10:13Meanwhile, what we're trying to do,
10:14we're trying to expose the aggressive behavior of China
10:19so that the people know.
10:20Not just us here, but here and abroad also.
10:23So, that explains now
10:25who's right and who's wrong.
10:27Is it the strong ones
10:29who use their principle that might is right?
10:32Or even the small ones,
10:33but our principle is right is might.
10:37Okay, what are the assistance
10:40that the government is providing
10:42to our fellow countrymen
10:44who are affected by the aggressive actions of China,
10:47particularly the fishermen?
10:50Like what I said earlier,
10:51the part of our patrol,
10:54especially the Coast Guard and BFAR,
10:56they bring food provisions,
10:59water, and fuel.
11:03Like what I said earlier,
11:04their fishing is delayed.
11:07So, that's why we're encouraging our fishermen,
11:09especially with the passage of our two laws,
11:11the Maritime Zones Act and the Archipelagic Zones Act,
11:15to go back to our traditional fishing grounds.
11:19That's ours.
11:20Because that's only one of our ways
11:22of asserting our claim.
11:25That's ours.
11:27The resources are ours.
11:28So, go there.
11:29We'll monitor you.
11:30We'll send you food.
11:32We'll send you fuel
11:34so that your fishing activities will be delayed.
11:37Okay.
11:38Usec, please send a message
11:40to our fellow countrymen
11:41who are watching us right now,
11:43especially what you said earlier
11:45that other countries
11:47are already showing support to the Philippines.
11:50This is where they will also show
11:52common respect to the international law and order.
11:55That's right.
11:56To our fellow countrymen watching,
11:59we're just assuring that our sovereignty,
12:02our rights,
12:04will be preserved and we will fight for it.
12:07And our support from the government
12:09will not be lost.
12:11That's why we're encouraging our fishermen
12:13to get livelihood
12:16in the waters of the West Philippine Sea.
12:18Go back there.
12:19We have nothing to be afraid of.
12:23The government is there.
12:24We will support you.
12:26We will secure you.
12:27We will assure safety as much as possible
12:30to the best of the resources of the government.
12:32So, again,
12:34our government is promising
12:36and we are assuring that
12:38our president will not
12:40the government
12:42as espoused by our president
12:45will not cede even a single inch
12:47of our territory,
12:48even to a superpower.
12:50All right. Thank you very much
12:52for your time,
12:53Undersecretary Alexander Lopez.

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