Philippines not stirring trouble in West Philippine Sea – Teodoro

MANILA, Philippines — China is “reversing the truth” in accusing the Philippines of stirring trouble by conducting joint maritime patrols with the United States military in the West Philippine Sea, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro said yesterday.

“The Philippines is not stirring up trouble. This is a reverse of the truth, it’s an absolute falsity for China to say that, and it is once again reversing the truth consistent with its narrative,” Teodoro told reporters.

“Who’s occupying, who’s making incursions in the South China Sea, in the West Philippine Sea especially? It’s China,” Teodoro said.

“The Philippines is not stirring up trouble as we always reiterate. Our interests are to protect our rights in accordance with UNCLOS and international law which China purports to respect in words but unfortunately not in deeds, and so whatever China says about this, I think their credibility is very, very low,” he added, referring to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Teodoro issued the statement a day after the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the US Indo-Pacific Command completed a three-day joint sea and air patrol in Philippine waters.

He said there would be more joint patrols with the US and possibly even with other countries supporting the call for a rules-based international order and a peaceful resolution of sea disputes.

The joint activity, held from Nov. 21 to 23, was also a show of the country’s firm resolve to defend its sovereignty and territorial rights, the AFP said.

“There will be several iterations of joint patrols and this should not be an issue because it is entirely within the rights of the Philippines to patrol anywhere, whether in the high seas or in the area where it has jurisdiction pursuant to international law,” Teodoro explained.

“In the seas we have right of innocent passage and the freedom of navigation. Within our area, we have the sole police jurisdiction over the area and it is a question for the Philippines and not any other country to determine,” he said.

Teodoro said other nations interested in joining joint naval patrols are Japan, South Korea and even Canada, among others, and it is up to the AFP to make