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China Coast Guard acts vs PH troops

Pia Gutierrez

ABS-CBN News

<p>The Philippine National Maritime Council does not consider as an armed attack the Chinese Coast Guard’s actions against Philippine troops in the Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea last Monday, saying that the incident was “probably a misunderstanding or an accident.”</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/6/21/china-s-latest-aggression-vs-ph-not-considered-armed-attack-bersamin-1829" id="isPasted">China&#x27;s latest aggression vs PH not considered armed attack; invocation of pact with US &#x27;not considered&#x27;</a></div><p>“No. Well, you know this was probably a misunderstanding or an accident. We&#x27;re not yet ready to classify this as an armed attack. I don&#x27;t know kung &#x27;yung mga nakita namin is bolo, axe, nothing beyond that,” Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, who is also the Chair of the National Maritime Council said in a hastily called press conference in Malacanang Friday evening.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/6/19/knives-looting-severed-thumb-philippines-details-fresh-confrontation-with-china-1613" id="isPasted">Knives, looting, severed thumb: Philippines details fresh confrontation with China </a></div><p>Bersamin’s statement comes after the Armed Forces of the Philippines condemned the &quot;coercive, aggressive, and barbaric actions&quot; of the China Coast Guard as they &quot;hijacked&quot; the Philippines&#x27; rotation and reprovisioning (RORE) mission at the BRP Sierra Madre, resulting in damage and severe injury of a Navy officer, who lost his right thumb.</p><p>Videos and pictures of the confrontation released by the AFP showed Chinese Coast Guard personnel &quot;brandishing bladed and pointed weapons threatening to injure AFP troops&quot; and &quot;threatening to injure an AFP soldier with a pickaxe.&quot;</p><p>The National Maritime Council convened in Malacanang Friday in light of the recent development to propose policy recommendations to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.</p><p>Among these, Bersamin said, is the “announcement of RORE mission to the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin shoal which shall remain routinary and will be schedule regularly.”</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/world/2024/6/20/china-s-foreign-ministry-blames-ph-over-latest-confrontation-in-ayungin-2204" id="isPasted">China&#x27;s foreign ministry blames PH over latest confrontation in Ayungin </a></div><p>“We just don&#x27;t know that if the reason for this is there was no prior knowledge in the part of China that we were resupplying. They knew that we had to resupply, that we were resupplying, it&#x27;s just a normal routinary matter,” Bersamin said.</p><p>“So in the best interest of all parties, I think it was a wise decision for the President to accept our recommendation to publicize the schedule for activities without giving up anything. Wala namang masama doon, eh.”</p><p>The Council meanwhile says it does not see the recent development as enough ground to invoke the country’s Mutual Defense Treaty with the United States.</p><p>“That has not been considered in our discussions,” Presidential Assistant on Maritime Concerns Retired General Andres Centino said.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/world/2024/6/19/china-s-salami-slicing-strategy-against-philippines-in-disputed-sea-1515" id="isPasted">China&#x27;s &#x27;salami-slicing strategy&#x27; vs Philippines in disputed sea </a></div><p>Elevating the incident to a higher international body is also not yet into consideration, Bersamin said.</p><p>“That&#x27;s not yet into consideration because I think this is a matter that can easily be resolved very soon by us, and if China wants to work with us, we can. We&#x27;ll work with China,” he said.</p>

<p>The Philippine National Maritime Council does not consider as an armed attack the Chinese Coast Guard’s actions against Philippine troops in the Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea last Monday, saying that the incident was “probably a misunderstanding or an accident.”</p>

The Philippine National Maritime Council does not consider as an armed attack the Chinese Coast Guard’s actions against Philippine troops in the Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea last Monday, saying that the incident was “probably a misunderstanding or an accident.”

China Coast Guard acts vs PH troops 'probably a misunderstanding': National Maritime Council

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China Coast Guard acts vs PH troops 'probably a misunderstanding': National Maritime Council

Pia Gutierrez,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 21, 2024 07:44 PM PHT

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