Marcos calls warships, cyberattacks in WPS 'worrisome'

MANILA, Philippines — The presence of the Chinese warships and increased cyberattacks on Philippine vessels in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) were “worrisome,” President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said Wednesday.

He, however, stressed that these developments would not deter the government from “[defending] our territory and [continuing] to support all our fishermen who make their living from these fishing grounds.”

Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad, Philippine Navy spokesperson for WPS matters, said on Tuesday that there has been an increase in cyberattacks on the country’s military ships in the past three to four years.

But he noted that there is no concrete proof yet to conclude that China is behind those attacks.

Last Sunday, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) accused the China Coast Guard and three other ships of attempting to block BRP Datu Sanday, a vessel supplying supplies to fishermen near Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea despite an international tribunal ruling in 2016 that found no legal basis for its extensive claims.

Tense standoffs between Manila and Beijing in the resource-rich waters have seen collisions, shadowing, and Chinese vessels firing water cannons at Philippine boats. — Gaea Katreena Cabico with reports from STAR/Alexis Romero and Agence France-Presse