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China

Pia Gutierrez

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA (UPDATED) — The latest incident in the Ayungin Shoal was neither a misunderstanding nor an accident, but a deliberate act by the Chinese government, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr said Monday, in a clear departure from the earlier remarks by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin.</p><div><span id="isPasted"><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/6/21/china-s-latest-aggression-vs-ph-not-considered-armed-attack-bersamin-1829">• China&#x27;s latest aggression vs PH not considered armed attack; invocation of pact with US &#x27;not considered&#x27;</a></span></div><p>“We see the latest incident in Ayungin not as a misunderstanding or an accident. It is a deliberate act of the Chinese officialdom to prevent us from completing our mission,&quot; Teodoro said in a press briefing in Malacañang. </p><p>&quot;After our visit to our troops in Palawan yesterday, where the President personally talked to the troops involved in the RORE, we have now come to a conclusion that it was not a misunderstanding or an accident... We are not downplaying the incident. It was an aggressive and illegal use of force,” he added.</p><div><span data-darkreader-inline-bgcolor="" style="background-color:transparent;--darkreader-inline-bgcolor:transparent"><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/6/20/senate-probe-on-latest-philippines-china-sea-clash-743">• Senate probe on latest Philippines-China sea clash sought</a></span></div><p>Bersamin, who is also chair of the Philippine National Maritime Council, earlier said that the incident was “probably a misunderstanding or an accident,” adding that China’s latest aggression cannot be classified as an armed attack.</p><p>Asked why the Philippine government is suddenly changing its tune on the incident, Teodoro said Bersamin&#x27;s remark was a &quot;<span data-darkreader-inline-bgcolor="" data-darkreader-inline-color="" id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;float:none;--darkreader-inline-color:#bfb9b1;--darkreader-inline-bgcolor:#181a1b;display:inline !important">preliminary assessment.&quot;</span></p><div><span id="isPasted"><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/6/19/knives-looting-severed-thumb-philippines-details-fresh-confrontation-with-china-1613">• Knives, looting, severed thumb: Philippines details fresh confrontation with China in Ayungin</a></span></div><p>“That was a preliminary assessment at the time but after the trip of the President to Palawan, nag-firm up na yung conclusion na talagang deliberate incident ito.” </p><p>The Defense chief also noted Marcos’ position that the Philippines will not publish the schedules of future RORE missions, contrary to what was earlier proposed by the National Maritime Council.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/6/21/philippines-to-give-notice-on-resupply-mission-schedule-after-china-aggression-1914">• Philippines to give notice on resupply mission schedule after China aggression</a></div><p> “We will continue to defend our territory and exercise sovereign rights thereon as we see fit. We reiterate that we seek neither permission nor consent from anyone in performing our sworn duties in the West Philippine Sea. In this regard we will continue our rotation and resupply missions on a regular basis, the welfare of our troops in the BRP Sierra Madre being a matter of utmost importance,” Teodoro said. </p><p>“The President has reiterated that we will not publish schedules of any RORE.”</p><div> <strong>NOT AN ARMED ATTACK</strong></div><p>Meanwhile, National Security Adviser (NSA) Eduardo Año reiterated the government’s earlier stand that the incident cannot be classified as an armed attack.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/world/2024/6/20/chinese-sailors-wield-sticks-axe-in-disputed-sea-clash-with-philippines-1234">• Chinese sailors wield sticks, axe in disputed sea clash with Philippines</a></div><p> “We cannot classify it as armed attack because by international definition of an armed attack, it is the use of military force, an excessive use of force that could trigger collective self-defense,” the official said.</p><p>“Even dun sa Article 51 ng UN Charter, at saka sa MDT hindi siya magfa-fall sa definition ng armed attack.”</p><p>Año, however, pointed out that China’s actions clearly violated international and domestic laws. </p><p>“The PRC violates a lot of international and domestic laws including use of illegal force, violation of... Convention on collision at sea at SOLAS, international convention on safety of life at sea at saka declaration of conduct, dapat dun lahat ng member states should exercise self restraint and always opt the use of peaceful means to settle disputes,” he said.</p><div><strong>APPEAL TO CHINA</strong></div><p>Meanwhile, House Speaker Martin Romualdez urged China to de-escalate tension in the West Philippine Sea.</p><p>&quot;China should lessen its aggression. Let us de-escalate these tensions. And let us not make these disagreements and these conflicts in the West Philippine Sea define the totality of the relationship between China and the Philippines,” Romualdez said in a press conference on Monday.</p><p>Romualdez shared that he previously talked with China’s ambassador to the Philippines and urged him to exert all efforts to prevent the deterioration of PH-China relations. </p><p>&quot;On his watch, ito na nangyayari. Kaya dapat he should exert all the efforts as the representative, the official representative of China to the Philippines,” the House Speaker said. </p><p>He considers proposals to elevate China’s aggression in the West Philippine Sea to an international body like the United Nations “viable” options, but stressed that he supports the stand of the President and his office on the issue. <strong><em>—With reports from Vivienne Gulla, ABS-CBN News</em></strong></p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cuZJI7777oI?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Asked why the Philippine government is now suddenly changing its tune on the incident, Teodoro said Bersamin's remark was a "preliminary assessment."</p>

Asked why the Philippine government is now suddenly changing its tune on the incident, Teodoro said Bersamin's remark was a "preliminary assessment."

Teodoro: Ayungin Shoal incident neither 'accident nor misunderstanding'

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Teodoro: Ayungin Shoal incident neither 'accident nor misunderstanding'

Pia Gutierrez,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jun 24, 2024 04:17 PM PHT

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Updated Jun 24, 2024 04:39 PM PHT

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China

Beijing

Ayungin shoal

Gibo Teodoro

diplomacy

armed attack

West Philippine Sea

South China Sea

ANC

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