The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) and the Department of National Defense (DND) denounced the “violent and unlawful” actions of a China Coast Guard (CCG) personnel who injured a Filipino serviceman on Monday morning.
The NTF-WPS said that at around 9:15 a.m. on July 20 at Ayungin Shoal, the CCG deployed a rigid-hull inflatable boat (RHIB), in which crew members approached the BRP Sierra Madre (LS57). Although they were instructed to withdraw, the CCG crew on the RHIB refused to leave, instead escalating the situation.
“During the incident, a Chinese crew member struck a Philippine serviceman on the head with a wooden baton, causing an injury that required immediate medical attention,” the press release read.
'ACT OF AGGRESSION UNACCEPTABLE'
The task force on Monday declared China’s aggression “unacceptable,” resulting in intensified tensions and heightening the risk of potential grave errors in judgement.
“We call on the China Coast Guard to immediately cease dangerous and unlawful actions that threaten lives and undermine peace and stability,” it said.
It called on China to observe international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
“We likewise urge China to uphold its obligations under international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and to demonstrate through its actions a genuine commitment to a rules-based maritime order in the West Philippine Sea and the broader South China Sea,” it added.
The NTF-WPS affirmed its commitment to professionalism, restraint, and adherence to international law, standing firmly by its belief in the peaceful resolution of disputes, while protecting the country’s sovereign rights and jurisdiction and ensuring Filipinos on the frontlines are safe.
'CLEAR PATTERN OF PROVOCATIVE AND HOSTILE BEHAVIOR'
Likewise, the DND pointed out that the Chinese crew member’s violent conduct was only part of a “clear pattern” of provocation and hostility, reinforcing China’s “deficit of trust and credibility.”
In a Monday statement, the defense agency said China’s aggression and dismissal of international law and rulings further justify its position of disengagement.
“Against the backdrop of the PRC’s circumvention of international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and disregard of the final and binding 2016 Arbitral Tribunal Ruling on the South China Sea, their actions further justify the Department’s position of disengagement—we simply cannot trust this belligerent neighbor,” it said.
The DND commended the servicemen on board BRP Sierra Madre and others on the western frontier.
“We will not back down. ‘Di tayo pasisiil!” the DND concluded.
