Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 11) — China has no peaceful agenda when it comes to the West Philippine Sea (WPS), Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro said on Monday.
Teodoro made the remark as China continues its aggression in the West Philippine Sea, inflicting “serious engine damage” on one Filipino vessel after being blasted with water cannon by the China Coast Guard (CCG) over the weekend.
“Kung tayo ay pumayag sa iligal at roguish behavior nila, magiging acceptance ‘yun. Hindi natin pwede gawin ‘yun,” Teodoro said.
“Ang intent dito ng China ay kupkupin ang buong South China Sea, kasi ‘yan ang sinasabi nila, pag-aari nila. ‘Yan naman, hindi tayo pwede pumayag dahil wala sa batas ‘yun. Wala sa international law,” he added.
[Translation: If we allow their illegal and roguish behavior, that means acceptance. We can’t do that. China’s intent here is to take over the whole of the South China Sea because they say they own it. We can’t agree to that because that’s not in the law. It’s not in international law.]
“We have a plan. That is not to yield because of the fact that our operations — ang ating ginagawa ay base sa batas [our actions are based on the law],” he said.
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As defense chief, Teodoro said he will build a resilient and credible deterrent force as soon as possible.
Teodoro has also called on the public to unite on the West Philippine Sea issue.
“Ngayon po, kailangan ng pagkakaisa at pagkakatatag sa likod ng administrasyon ng ating pangulo dito sa usapin ng West Philippine Sea. Huwag po tayong magpapahati dito sa usapin na ‘to… Isang taktika po ng China ‘yan na paghati-hatiin tayo,” he said.
[Translation: We need to unite and stand behind the administration when it comes to the West Philippine Sea. Let’s not allow this to divide us… That is a tactic of China to divide us.]
In 2016, an arbitral ruling nullified China’s sweeping claims in the South China Sea, which overlapped with some portions of the West Philippine Sea.
