China's sea actions are attempts to scare, ‘make an example' of PH —expert
Recent hostile actions from the Chinese navy and coast guard ships at the Bajo de Masinloc seemed to be deliberate attempts to 'make an example' out of Philippine vessels, according to maritime law expert Jay Batongbacal said.
In a Balitanghali interview on Tuesday, Batongbacal said that believes China was testing remarks by President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. regarding the activation of the mutual defense treaty with the US should someone from the Philippines die due to hostilities in the West Philippine Sea.
'Isa yan sa mga malamang tinitignan nila kung totoo nga tine-testing nila. Pero mas malaki pang intensyon nila ay talagang takutin tayo dahil nga kung sakaling may napatay silang Pilipino, sa tingin nila ay aatras tayo at hindi na tayo lalapit diyan,' he said.
(That's probably one of the things they're most likely looking at, and testing if it was true. But their bigger intention is to really scare us, because if they do end up killing a Filipino, they think we will back off and avoid that area.)
A China Coast Guard vessel and a Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessel collided into each other while in pursuit of a Philippine Coast Guard vessel off Bajo de Masinloc in the West Philippine Sea on Monday.
Batongbacal said there was an implication in the PLAN vessel's actions that ended up backfiring on their fellow Chinese vessel.
'Ang nangyari ay yung sarili nilang Coast Guard vessel ang nadisgrasya tuloy. Kung sakaling nasagasaan yung barko, palagay ko mahahati pa nga yun at siguradong lulubog. Sa tingin ko alam naman siguro nila yung implikasyon na yun,' he said.
(What happened is that their own Coast Guard vessel ended up getting damaged. If the [smaller PCG] vessel ended up being rammed, I think it would have broken apart and would definitely have sunk. I think they are aware of that implication.)
'Ang tingin ko parang talagang deliberate na agresyon yung ginagawa nila para nga takutin tayo, at siguro ang plano nila ay gawing example yung ating mga kababayan dun sa BRP Suluan kung sakali,' he added.
(I think the aggression they're doing seems deliberate to scare us, and I think their plan had been to make an example of our countrymen on the BRP Suluan.)
Batongbacal reiterated that China still insists the Philippines is behind hostilities at the West Philippine Sea, which he claimed is ironic as China had deployed vessels far beyond their territories.
'Malinaw naman dito kung sino ang gumagawa ng gulo, sino ang mas malayo sa kaninong lugar. Sila ito halos 1,000 kilometers lagpas na siguro silang malayo sa kanilang lugar tapos sila itong nangaharang at nag-attempt na managasa ng ating mga barko… Hindi talaga kapani-paniwala yung sinasabi nila na tayo ang gumagawa ng gulo. Malinaw na talagang sila ang may kasalanan dito,' he said.
(It is clear who is stirring conflict, as they are the ones far from their territory. They are the ones almost 1,000 kilometers past their territories yet they are the ones obstructing and attempting to ram our ships…Their claim that the Philippines is the one causing conflict is really not believable. It is clear that they are at fault here.)
Batongbacal said that the presence of the PLAN must be carefully observed and checked if it will become permanent.
'So far naman, satisfied po tayo na tama naman ang ginagawa natin na ina-assert lang natin ang ating karapatan. Mapayapa naman ang ginagawa natin. Hindi tayo nang babangga, hindi tayo nagbabanta sa pamagitan ng mga kanyon o mga water cannon at iba pang paraan,' he added.
(So far, we are satisfied that we are doing the right thing as we are only asserting our rights. What we are doing is peaceful. We did not crash into them, we did not threaten them with cannons or water cannons and other ways.)
Beijing continues to claim most of the South China Sea, including territories claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.
In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines' claims over the South China Sea. However, China refused to acknowledge this decision. — Jiselle Anne C. Casucian/BM, GMA Integrated News
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