PHL Coast Guard wants revision of response rules
THE PHILIPPINE Coast Guard (PCG) is pushing for the revision of rules governing its response protocols to potential aggression or attacks at sea.
The proposal comes after the Chinese Coast Guard endangered the crew of a Philippine resupply ship at the Second Thomas Shoal by pointing a military-grade laser at it on Feb. 6.
In a public briefing on Thursday, PCG spokesperson Jay T. Tarriela said the agency is not considering equipping its vessels with military-grade lasers, but wants clearcut guidelines on how it should respond to such situations.
“What we are saying is for us to revise the rules for the use of force, where we have yet to include how would the Philippine Coast Guard respond to these kinds of threat towards the Philippine Coast Guard vessel,” he said partly in Filipino.
“Definitely, the PCG is not considering putting laser weaponry onboard our Coast Guard vessels.”
The Second Thomas Shoal, which Manila calls Ayungin, is within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.
As of Wednesday, around 30 Chinese vessels were still moored in Philippine-claimed areas in the South China Sea, Mr. Tarriela said. Of these, 26 were in Sabina Shoal and four were in Second Thomas Shoal.
The PCG official said they are intensifying their patrols in the West Philippine Sea, the maritime area within the country’s territory, by deploying one offshore patrol vessel and 144 multi-role response vessels.
Last week, the Philippines’ foreign affairs agency protested the Chinese Coast Guard’s use of military-grade laser. But China has maintained that its action was meant to “ensure navigation safety.”
Mr. Marcos Jr. has said the laser incident is not enough for him to invoke the Philippines’ 1995 mutual defense treaty with the United States. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza
