Jamaine Punzalan

Article (news)

Rowegie Abanto

ABS-CBN News

<div><br/></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/8jtwb_Ovj70?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable" spellcheck="false"></iframe></span></div><div><br/></div><p>MANILA <strong>(UPDATED)</strong> — Commodore Jay Tarriela of the Philippine Coast Guard issued a lengthy criticism of Cavite Fourth District Rep. Kiko Barzaga&#x27;s call to abolish the agency and allegation that its actions in the West Philippine Sea would lead to World War 3, saying his comments were &quot;alarmist, inaccurate, and deeply irresponsible.&quot;</p><p>In a video posted Tuesday on his Facebook page, Barzaga accused the PCG of supposed &quot;corruption&quot; because it allegedly provided &quot;high-ranking positions to undeserving public officials.&quot;</p><p>Barzaga was referring to membership in the PCG Auxiliary, a civilian volunteer organization that supports the coast guard.</p><p>He also said the PCG was &quot;escalating tensions&quot; in the West Philippine Sea and called out its supposed interference in tension between China and Taiwan.</p><p>Barzaga claimed that there was &quot;no future for the Philippines with the PCG holding power over our military&quot; and said the agency &quot;no longer serves the interest of the Filipino people.&quot;</p><p>The PCG is an agency of the Department of Transportation and has a separate chain of command from the Armed Forces of the Philippines.</p><p>&quot;To portray the PCG as a military is not only inaccurate—it undermines the principles upon which civilian maritime governance is built,&quot; Tarriela said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/video/news/09/13/23/wow-ha-robin-padilla-incredulous-chinese-coast-guard-not-a-civilian-agency"><strong>&#x27;Wow, ha!&#x27; Robin Padilla incredulous Chinese Coast Guard not civilian in nature<br/></strong></a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;RECKLESS, DEEPLY INSULTING&#x27;</strong></div><p>Tarriela, PCG spokesperson for West Philippine Sea concerns, said Wednesday that Barzaga was seeking to &quot;distort facts&quot; and &quot;disrespect the brave men and women of the PCG who risk their lives daily&quot; defending the country&#x27;s sovereignty.</p><p>He said it was reckless of a House member to call for the abolition of the PCG &quot;and dismiss our existence as a &#x27;waste of government funds&#x27;.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/26/tarriela-calls-out-paolo-duterte-for-divisive-noise-on-ph-defense-partnerships-1538"><strong>Tarriela calls out Paolo Duterte for &#x27;divisive noise&#x27; on PH defense partnerships</strong></a></div><p>&quot;We urge the public to discern facts from fiction and to stand with those truly committed to the defense of our national interests,&quot; Tarriela said on X.</p><p>He called Barzaga&#x27;s World War 3 assertions &quot;alarmist, inaccurate, and deeply irresponsible,&quot; noting that the West Philippine Sea issue was &quot;not an abstract geopolitical issue—it is part of our national patrimony.&quot;</p><p>&quot;It encompasses vital fishing grounds, trade routes, and marine resources that sustain millions of Filipino families,&quot; he said.</p><p>The PCG&#x27;s presence in the West Philippine Sea, Tarriela said, &quot;is not an act of provocation,&quot; explaining that its absence would mean &quot;a blatant dereliction of duty.&quot;</p><p>He said the PCG was mandated to uphold and protect the Philippines&#x27; sovereign rights under international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2016 arbitral ruling that rejected China&#x27;s sweeping claims in the South China Sea.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/28/chinese-vessels-spotted-anew-inside-ph-eez-during-pcg-s-martime-domain-awareness-flight-1811"><strong>Chinese vessels spotted anew inside PH EEZ during PCG’s martime domain awareness flight</strong></a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RIDON: BARZAGA DESERVES NO COMMENT</strong></div><p>In a separate interview, Bicol Saro Party-List Rep. Terry Ridon said Barzaga’s comment should just be ignored.</p><p>“He does not deserve any comment from the Coast Guard, dahil ‘yung Coast Guard, ginagawa nila lahat para sa mga kababayan natin, para sa bayan natin (the Coast Guard has been doing for our compatriots, for our country, subjecting themselves to water cannons and everything else that China is launching against them,” he said.</p><p>He added the first-term congressman is not on equal footing with the men and women of the coast guard.</p><p>“Nagme-meow meow lang. Hindi po magkapantay ang pagtatangi natin sa Coast Guard at kay Kiko Barzaga.”</p><p>(He just makes meowing sounds. We do not regard the coast guard and Kiko Barzaga as equals)</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>AUXILIARY HAS NO AUTHORITY OVER PCG</strong></div><p>Tarriela rejected Barzaga&#x27;s accusation that the PCG confers high positions on political figures, saying the honorary ranks are only symbolic and do not grant them authority. </p><p>He said the politicians do not hold command positions and operational control over the PCG.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/27/philippine-troops-drive-out-chinese-vessels-involved-in-destructive-fishing-in-ayungin-1257"><strong>Philippine troops drive out Chinese vessels involved in destructive fishing in Ayungin</strong></a></div><p>&quot;Our men and women operate in the harshest conditions—rescuing those in distress at sea, enforcing maritime laws, protecting our environment, and standing firm against coercion in the WPS,&quot; Tarriela said as he called out Barzaga for trivializing their service.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/13/barzaga-late-for-ethics-hearing-i-was-playing-games-on-my-computer-1402"><strong>Barzaga late for ethics hearing: &#x27;I was playing games on my computer&#x27;</strong></a></div><div><strong>— with Vivienne Gulla, ABS-CBN News</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><strong><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/yJIX5Hgb3xk?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>Commodore Jay Tarriela of the Philippine Coast Guard issued a lengthy criticism of Cavite Fourth District Rep. Kiko Barzaga's <i>"alarmist and deeply irresponsible" </i>call to abolish the agency and allegation that its actions in the West Philippine Sea would lead to World War 3. </p>

Commodore Jay Tarriela of the Philippine Coast Guard issued a lengthy criticism of Cavite Fourth District Rep. Kiko Barzaga's "alarmist and deeply irresponsible" call to abolish the agency and allegation that its actions in the West Philippine Sea would lead to World War 3.

'Deeply irresponsible': Tarriela blasts Barzaga over call to abolish PCG

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'Deeply irresponsible': Tarriela blasts Barzaga over call to abolish PCG

Rowegie Abanto,

ABS-CBN News

Published Oct 29, 2025 11:01 AM PHT

|

Updated Oct 29, 2025 05:54 PM PHT

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Kiko Barzaga

Jay Tarriela

PCG

World War 3

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