By Chloe Mari A. Hufana, Reporter
PHILIPPINE President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. said on Monday that Beijing has “misinterpreted” his comments saying Manila will be inevitably drawn in to a conflict between China and Taiwan should one erupt.
China accused Mr. Marcos of “playing with fire” after the Philippine leader said during a visit to India that “there is no way that the Philippines can stay out of it” due to its proximity to the democratically governed island.
“We are, I think for propaganda purposes, misinterpreted,” Mr. Marcos told a press briefing.
“I’m a little bit perplexed why it would be characterized as such, as playing with fire,” he added.
Mr. Marcos said Filipinos working and living in Taiwan will have to be evacuated if a conflict does arise but maintained that he wishes to avoid confrontation and war.
Over a hundred thousand Filipinos live and work in Taiwan, according to Philippine government data.
“War over Taiwan will drag the Philippines kicking and screaming into the conflict. That is what I was trying to say,” Mr. Marcos said.
China’s embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the President’s remarks.
The Philippine president’s comments come at a time of heightened tensions between Manila and Beijing over territorial disputes in the South China Sea, a strategic waterway where the two countries have had a series of maritime run-ins over the past years.
Mr. Marcos’ new remarks on the potential conflict in Taiwan reflect the Philippines’ foreign policy, Josue Raphael J. Cortez, diplomacy lecturer at De La Salle-College of St. Benilde, said, noting the Philippines is a peace-loving nation, committed to the resolution of conflicts through dialogue and peaceful ways.
“The President, as chief architect of Philippine foreign policy, has enunciated the statement in line with the third pillar, which is to protect the rights and promote the welfare of Filipinos abroad,” Mr. Cortez said in a Facebook Messenger chat.
“To argue that we are trying to ‘play with fire’ is something baseless given that we are now perceiving the issue from the context of our national interest.”
Manila’s reason for possibly intervening in the conflict must be viewed in a humanitarian lens, Mr. Cortez noted, which Manila has always done, as exemplified during the Arab Spring and the recent tensions in the Middle East.
NOT BACKING OUTAlso on Monday, Mr. Marcos said Philippine government vessels will remain in Scarborough Shoal (Bajo de Masinloc) after a Philippine vessel was targeted with a water cannon by a China Coast Guard (CCG) ship earlier in the day.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported on Monday that it deployed the BRP Teresa Magbanua and BRP Suluan, along with MV Pamamalakaya, to carry out Kadiwa operations for around 35 Filipino vessels in the shoal, when it encountered “hazardous maneuvers and blocking actions.”
BRP Suluan was particularly targeted with a water cannon, which was evaded by PCG crew members.
“We will not instruct any of our vessels to back out,” Mr. Marcos said, pertaining to the Philippine Navy and PCG.
“We do not back down because we are afraid. I don’t know about other places, but this government does not withdraw from battles. We Filipinos are brave,” he added in mixed English and Filipino.
The same incident led to a collision between a CCG vessel and a People’s Liberation Army Navy ship. The PCG immediately offered support, including assistance with man-overboard recovery and medical aid for any injured CCG crew members.
Responding to the Monday incident, China’s coast guard said it had taken necessary measures to expel Philippine vessels from Scarborough Shoal, which China claims as its own territory.
It described the operation as “professional, standardized, legitimate and legal.”
A 2016 ruling of an international arbitral tribunal voided Beijing’s sweeping claims in the region, saying they had no basis under international law, a decision China rejects.
Senate President Pro-Tempore Jose “Jinggoy” P. Ejercito Estrada on Monday also called on Beijing’s navy to cease its dangerous actions against Manila’s coast guard.
“This is a classic case of reaping what one sows. The Chinese Coast Guard must cease and desist from engaging in dangerous maneuvers against our Philippine Coast Guard and other maritime vessels,” he said in a statement.
He added that the Beijing’s tactics not only endangered Manila’s maritime personnel and fisherfolk, it also escalated tensions.
“Nothing good will come of such actions, except the empty display of logistical superiority,” Mr. Estrada said.
In a separate statement, Senator Risa Hontiveros-Baraquel said that China’s actions were reckless and endangered their own people.
“I also continue to call on our government to support our fisherfolk to the fullest extent possible, and to allow them continued access to their traditional fishing areas in the (Scarborough Shoal),” Ms. Hontiveros said.
She added that it was crucial for the Philippines to maintain year-round maritime law enforcement in the disputed waterways to protect its fisherfolks.
Both Senators had also commended the PCG for offering assistance and medical aid to the injured Chinese crew members.
PHL-INDIA PARTNERSHIPMeanwhile, the Philippines’ National Security Council said that the country’s strategic partnership with India should bolster their naval cooperation and joint exercises amid ongoing tension in the South China Sea.
“Through this Strategic Partnership, we look forward to expanded naval engagements, joint training, technology exchanges, and collaboration in addressing emerging challenges such as cybersecurity, humanitarian assistance and disaster response, and capability building,” National Security Adviser Eduardo M. Año said in a statement also on Monday.
He added that the Philippines is looking forward to further discussions on submarine infrastructure development with India.
Last week, Mr. Marcos went on a five-day state visit to India where he secured agreements for defense, maritime cooperation, and investments. Manila had also strengthened its ties with New Delhi into a strategic partnership.
“The National Security Council will work closely with our security agencies to implement the agreements reached and ensure that our deepening partnership with India translates into concrete capabilities and mutual benefit for our two nations,” Mr. Año said.
The visit also coincided with a joint patrol by the Philippine and Indian navies in the South China Sea, which began before he left for New Delhi — the first for both forces in the disputed waters.
He said that the maritime exercise “enhances interoperability, promotes maritime domain awareness, and reinforces our capacity to protect our sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction, particularly in the (South China Sea) and the broader Indo-Pacific region.”
The Philippines has increasingly relied on multinational cooperation to shore up its maritime defenses. It has participated in more frequent joint patrols and multilateral naval exercises in the South China Sea, often alongside US forces and other regional partners. — with Adrian H. Halili and Reuters