President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. on Thursday, March 28, pronounced that the Philippines will carry out a response and countermeasure to what he called “illegal, coercive, aggressive, and dangerous attacks” by China against a Philippine vessel in the West Philippine Sea.
In a statement posted on his official Facebook page, Marcos shared that he met with national security and defense leaders and communicated with allies from the international community who offered help to the Philippines in protecting and securing its sovereign rights.
“I have given them [representatives from the international community] our requirements and we have been assured that they will be addressed. Over the succeeding weeks there shall be, implemented by the relevant national government agencies and instrumentalities, a response and countermeasure package that is proportionate, deliberate, and reasonable in the face of the open, unabating, and illegal, coercive, aggressive, and dangerous attacks by agents of the China Coast Guard and the Chinese Maritime Militia,” he said.
The Chief Executive noted that the countermeasure would be carried “while ensuring peace and stability in the Indo-pacific” as he stressed that the country “seeks no conflict with any nation, more so nations that purport and claim to be our friends.”
“[B]ut we will not be cowed into silence, submission, or subservience. Filipinos do not yield,” Marcos ended.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) earlier expressed its “strongest protest” against the water cannon attack by the China Coast Guard and Chinese Maritime Militia during the Philippines' rotation and resupply mission in Ayungin Shoal last March 23.
DFA has summoned the chargé d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy to "convey the Philippines’ strong protest against the aggressive actions."
