The National Security Council (NSC) on Wednesday strongly criticized the calls for the demilitarization of the West Philippine Sea (WPS), asserting that the demands were against the national interest and aligned with pro-China sentiments.

NSC Assistant Director-General Jonathan Malaya characterized the repeated calls by Bayan and allied Leftist organizations to demilitarize the WPS as overly dramatic and sweeping.

“Why should we ask the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), currently stationed at our nine occupied features in the West Philippine Sea, to withdraw?” he asked.

Malaya expressed concern that withdrawing the AFP from the Philippines’ features in the WPS would constitute a neglect of duty and a breach of public trust that would ultimately benefit China by creating a security vacuum.

Instead of focusing on demilitarization, Malaya urged Bayan to direct its attention towards China’s activities in the WPS, highlighting China’s construction of artificial islands and military installations in Philippine territorial waters.

“The AFP is fulfilling its garrison duties in accordance with international law and the 2016 arbitral ruling. Why then should they be withdrawn from the West Philippine Sea? The Philippine Navy, meanwhile, is fulfilling its mandate to protect our territorial integrity and support our fishermen,” Malaya said.

He also rebuffed Bayan’s call for the United States to withdraw from the WPS, explaining that no US troops were stationed on any islands there. He pointed out that US warships conduct lawful freedom of navigation operations in international waters, which does not require demilitarization.

Malaya advised Bayan to be more cautious in its stance, warning against inadvertently aligning with the interests of the Chinese Communist Party.

“If the AFP and US Navy were to withdraw from the WPS, who stands to benefit? Clearly, China would. This would only serve to embolden China further,” he stressed.