Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Monday strongly criticized individuals in the Philippines who have attempted to justify a recent maritime aggression by a Chinese vessel against a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) boat in the West Philippine Sea.
“Some are saying that China was right because that’s beyond our territorial sea (12 nautical miles). That’s not acceptable,” Teodoro told reporters during an ambush interview in Zambales. “That’s betrayal of the Republic of the Philippines, plain and simple.”
The confrontation took place on September 18 near Abad Santos Shoal, roughly 54 nautical miles off the coast of Palawan, when Chinese Coast Guard vessel 21585 rammed the unarmed BRP Datu Magat Salamat while it was delivering fuel assistance to local fishermen. While no injuries were reported, the Philippine Coast Guard confirmed structural damage to the government boat.
Teodoro condemned the aggression, emphasizing that there was “no rhyme, no reason” to target a civilian vessel providing humanitarian support.
“It’s not merely a violation of maritime rules and regulations but a criminal act by the Chinese Coast Guard. So we will be addressing that,” Teodoro asserted, describing the proximity of the encounter as a pressing security concern. “This is a new challenge since it’s close to us and we need to address this immediately.”
“This definitely needs to be addressed,” he added, noting that he will meet with National Security Adviser Eduardo Oban and the National Maritime Council to finalize the government’s response strategy. While specific measures were not revealed, the defense chief confirmed that officials are actively “developing options for addressing this.”