PH renounces using violence to settle sea row

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stood firm on his position Sunday that the Philippines would not trigger any violent confrontation to resolve territorial disputes in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

Marcos issued the statement during a visit to the Armed Forces of the Philippines' (AFP) Western Command (Wescom) in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, where he said the government would «refuse to play by the rules that force us to choose sides in a great power competition.»

«And that is why, in defending the nation, we stay true to our Filipino nature that we would like to settle all these issues peacefully. And in the performance of our duties, we will not resort to the use of force or intimidation or deliberately inflict injury or harm on anyone,» he said.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. hailed the Western Command troops for exercising restraint when they were engaged by hostile Chinese sailors during their recent resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal. PCO Photo

The Chief Executive's visit came several days after the Filipino troops and China Coast Guard (CCG) personnel faced off during a resupply mission for BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal.

The CCG vessel rammed into the Filipino vessel on a resupply mission to BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal. The Filipino military personnel were then attacked by Chinese crewmen with axes, machetes and hammers to prevent the resupply mission from proceeding.

Videos and pictures of the chaotic face-off made public by the military showed Chinese coast guard personnel hitting a Philippine Navy boat with a wooden bar and seizing a bag while blaring sirens and using blinding strobe lights. The Chinese government said that its coast guard had to take action after Filipino forces defied warnings not to stray into what China calls its own offshore territory.

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The violent confrontation sparked condemnation and alarm from the US, the European Union, Japan, Australia, and other Western and Asian nations, while China and the Philippines blamed each other for instigating it.

A Philippine Navy personnel, Seaman First Class Underwater Operator Jeffrey Facundo, lost a finger during the fracas.

«As your commander-in-chief, I have