President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. already has directives on China’s heightened aggressions in the West Philippine Sea, particularly the latest confrontation in Ayungin Shoal, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said Monday.

“Mayroon na tayong mga plano para diyan ano, so hindi tayo nagdadagdag ng utos at plano, nasa Armed Forces at ng [Philippine] Coast Guard natin kung paanong magreact within the confines of that plan (We already have a plan, we will not add to that directive or plan. It's already in the hands of the Armed Forces and [Philippine] Coast Guard on how we will react within the confines of that plan),” Teodoro explained. 

The defense chief said it was an “insult” to assume that other countries, such as the United States, are dictating the Philippines' actions in the WPS.

“At sinasabi din na tayo ay iniimpluwensyahan ng ibang mga bansa katulad ng Estados Unidos. Ito'y napakalaking insulto sa atin mga kababayan na kinukunan ka nga ng teritoryo sinasabi ikaw pa ay sunud-sunuran sa ibang bansa (Some are saying that we are influenced by other countries, like the US, this is a huge insult to our countrymen as our territories are already being snatched and they will accuse us of just following what other countries will say),” he said. 

Tensions have increased between the Philippines and China after they traded accusations of illegal intrusion, performing dangerous maneuvers, and shadowing and blocking attempts in the parts of WPS, with the latest confrontations happening in Ayungin Shoal and Bajo de Masinloc.

China accused the Philippines of deliberately provoking conflict under the influence of the US to assert Filipinos' sovereignty over the WPS. 

Teodoro, in response, said the Philippines’ actions are merely part of “defending what is ours,” which include resupply missions and maritime patrol operations in the country's detachments within the WPS. 

“Ano bang pambubuyo ang ginawa natin kung ginawa natin ito  (What provocation did we do if we hold it) within their 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone,” he said. 

China has vastly claimed the entire South China Sea, which overlaps the territorial claims of the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Indonesia.