Filing a diplomatic protest is still considered the best option for handling the issue in the West Philippine Sea, said retired Vice Admiral Alexander Lopez, the newly designated spokesperson of the National Maritime Council (NMC).
Lopez was referring to the incident at dawn on Monday, August 19, where China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels deliberately rammed and damaged two Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessels, BRP Bagacay and BRP Cape Engaño, in the vicinity of Escoda (Sabina) Shoal while en route to Lawak and Patag Islands to deliver supplies to troops stationed there.
Reading the official statement of the NMC in a press briefing in Malacañang on Tuesday, Lopez described the latest incident as an example of unprofessional and dangerous actions by the CCG vessels, which were in violation of international law, including UNCLOS and the 1972 Convention on International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREG).
“These illegal actions do not contribute to confidence-building measures necessary for the improvement of relations on the basis of mutual respect and for a rules-based international order. Hence, the Philippines urges China to refrain from aggressive actions and adhere to international law,” he said.
In response to the incident, however, he said that in compliance with President Ferdinand Marcos’ directives, the approach would remain diplomatic and peaceful.
“The government remains committed to the President’s directive for a diplomatic approach and a peaceful resolution of disputes. As we all know, in any activities in the past, our Department of Foreign Affairs would probably file a diplomatic protest or note verbale. These are being seriously studied by the DFA,” Lopez said.
“Can you just imagine? Maybe if you are referring to more kinetic actions, that would not be in the best interest of the country, China, or even the region,” he added.
He further stated that by using a diplomatic and peaceful approach, the government can never go wrong, as this move is compliant with the Code of Conduct that the Philippines signed in 2002, “which, among others, states that parties will exercise restraint in the conduct of activities that would complicate or even escalate the dispute in the area.”
Sought for comment on Marcos’ order to explore options beyond filing a diplomatic protest, Lopez refused to elaborate, saying it is up to the DFA.
“I really cannot second guess what other actions the President might consider. Again, it’s up to the DFA to recommend what other possible actions are consistent with the diplomatic and peaceful approach,” he said.
Furthermore, responding to China’s narratives regarding the incident, Lopez said the PCG is already gathering evidence to debunk its claims.
He said China has constantly tried to deceive the public by portraying itself as the victim, being bullied by the Philippines.
“We’ll just wait for all the documents that the PCG will release, maybe later on, showing otherwise,” he said.
“We are very deliberate in coming out with factual details. It’s a responsibility to our public and to the international audience to show what really happened,” he added.
Moreover, he said the recent understanding with China is still in effect and that the incident is “just a matter of understanding, which was focused on the RoRe missions in Ayungin Shoal.”
He mentioned that the DFA is considering extending the scope of understanding to other areas in the West Philippine Sea “within our maritime domain.”
Meanwhile, Presidential Assistant on Maritime Concerns Secretary Andres Centino explained that Marcos designated Lopez as the NMC spokesperson for “unified messaging” regarding WPS concerns and that Lopez will only be speaking on policy-level issues.
“His designation authorizes him to speak on behalf of the NMC, without prejudice to the roles of the different spokespersons of other agencies under the NMC,” Centino said.
Lopez once served as commander of Western Command, which has jurisdiction over the vast majority of the WPS.
