Marcos rejects claims of PH 'aggression' in WPS

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President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has rejected claims that the Philippines has been aggressive in its dealings with China amid continuing tensions in the West Philippine Sea, saying the country has only been defending its territory and sovereign rights.

“We have never been aggressive in any way whatsoever,” Marcos said in an interview with The Straits Times during his five-day working visit to Singapore.

Marcos maintained that the Philippines was merely exercising its rights and protecting its territory, rejecting suggestions that its actions had contributed to tensions in the disputed waters.

“To say aggressive, aggressive is to go out and initiate some kind of conflict. We have never done that. We are there, we are sitting in our country, and all we do is defend our rights, defend our territory,” he said.

In 2016, an international arbitral tribunal in The Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines, invalidating China's sweeping claims over much of the South China Sea for having no legal basis under international law. Beijing has refused to recognize the ruling.

The Philippines lodged 296 diplomatic protests against China from 2022 to 2026, including 39 so far this year, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

“So no, we have not been aggressive at all. We have been the point at which aggression is felt (more) than (in) any other country in the region. So I can assure you the aggression does not come from the Philippines,” Marcos said.

Marcos' remarks came amid continued reports of Chinese harassment of Philippine vessels in the West Philippine Sea.

In one of the latest incidents, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported that Chinese Coast Guard vessels obstructed and delayed the emergency medical evacuation of a Philippine Navy personnel from Ayungin Shoal.

Chinese vessels also reportedly interfered with a Philippine resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal on September 24, prompting condemnation from the United States Embassy in Manila.

The incidents were among the latest confrontations between Philippine and Chinese vessels in the disputed waters, where Beijing continues to assert its expansive maritime claims.

Despite the tensions, Marcos expressed openness to pursuing joint oil exploration with China, provided that both countries could agree on commercial arrangements without compromising their respective positions on territorial disputes.

Asked whether the Philippines remained willing to undertake joint oil exploration with Beijing, Marcos replied: “Yes, I absolutely do. I don't see why we cannot do that.”

“It is something that I think both countries would like to pursue and I think that if we keep it at a purely commercial level and do not enter into territorial conflicts and a resolution of who owns what and who belongs where, what law will apply,” he said.

“So long as we can come to an agreement on that and I don't see why we should not be able to have that partnership,” he added.

In August, Marcos said there was no definite timeline for the possible resumption of joint oil exploration talks between Manila and Beijing.— MCG, GMA News

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