Jamaine Punzalan

ABS-CBN News

<div> </div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><p>MANILA — Philippine Coast Guard Spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela said Wednesday he was “friends already” with SAGIP party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta after their heated exchange about the lawmaker’s remark that &quot;there is nothing as West Philippine Sea&quot; on maps.</p><p>During a House hearing on Tuesday about online disinformation, Marcoleta asked about claims on social media that Tarriela supposedly tagged him as a &quot;traitor&quot;, which the PCG spokesperson denied.</p><p>Pressed to explain why he did not correct the wrong information, Tarriela said he only learned about it after Marcoleta&#x27;s February 10 interview, where the lawmaker called him ignorant.</p><p>&quot;The only time I learned about that, was when I heard about your interview calling me g*go and mangmang. Why would I even defend you if you&#x27;re calling me g*go?&quot; Tarriela replied.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/2/18/confronted-by-marcoleta-tarriela-retorts-why-would-i-defend-you-when-you-re-calling-me-g-go-1611">Confronted by Marcoleta, Tarriela retorts: &#x27;Why would I defend you when you&#x27;re calling me g*go?&#x27;</a></div><p>He said that after this exchange, Marcoleta approached him and “we shook hands.”</p><p>“Sabi niya, ‘nothing personal.’ Sabi ko naman, ‘At least we clarified, sir, na I never really called you traitor.’ Okay naman yung naging usapan namin,” Tarriela told TeleRadyo Serbisyo.</p><p>“Close na kami ni Cong. Marcoleta. So I’d like to greet him good morning, Congressman Marcoleta, sir. Nothing personal, as you said. We’re friends already.” </p><div><br/></div><div><iframe width="1425" height="496" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Tclq7_mWQ5s" title="Confronted by Marcoleta, Tarriela retorts: &#x27;Why would I defend you when you&#x27;re calling me g*go?&#x27;" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><div><br/></div><p>Asked if they had resolved their disagreement on Marcoleta’s position about the legitimacy of the West Philippine Sea, Tarriela said: “Para sa ‘kin, the mere fact that Congressman Marcoleta is saying that this part of our waters is something that is really worth fighting [for] up to the last drop of our blood, kinikilala niyang atin ito without really calling it [West Philippine Sea]… Okay na rin ‘yun.”</p><p>“At least nire-recognize niyang that is our exclusive economic zone,” he said.</p><p>The coast guard official said it was “very important for us [Filipinos] to be united in this issue.”</p><p>“Otherwise, itong sinasabi ng China na hindi atin ito, they have a historical claim over this, it would be very difficult for President Bongbong Marcos to push for this commitment na hindi talaga isusuko ang West Philippine Sea,” he said.</p><p>China claims the South China Sea almost in its entirety, including parts of the West Philippine Sea, despite an international ruling in 2016 concluding this has no legal basis.</p><p>On Tuesday, the PCG condemned &quot;dangerous&quot; maneuvers by a Chinese Navy helicopter that flew within three meters of a Philippine surveillance flight over Bajo de Masinloc.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/2/18/philippines-to-protest-dangerous-china-helicopter-maneuvers-official-0737">Philippines to protest &#x27;dangerous&#x27; China helicopter maneuvers: official</a></div>

<p>Philippine Coast Guard Spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela said Wednesday he was “friends already” with SAGIP party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta after their heated exchange about the lawmaker’s remark that "there is nothing as West Philippine Sea" on maps.</p>

Philippine Coast Guard Spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela said Wednesday he was “friends already” with SAGIP party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta after their heated exchange about the lawmaker’s remark that "there is nothing as West Philippine Sea" on maps.

‘Nothing personal’: Tarriela says he’s ‘friends already’ with Marcoleta after heated West PH Sea exchange | ABS-CBN

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‘Nothing personal’: Tarriela says he’s ‘friends already’ with Marcoleta after heated West PH Sea exchange

‘Nothing personal’: Tarriela says he’s ‘friends already’ with Marcoleta after heated West PH Sea exchange

Jamaine Punzalan,

ABS-CBN News

Published Feb 19, 2025 08:09 AM PHT

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