Phl Navy's firearms still not returned following CCG's illegal confiscation

The Chinese coast guards have not yet returned firearms they confiscated from Philippine Navy personnel during their intense confrontation in Ayungin Shoal on 17 June, which a navy spokesperson described as the “most aggressive action” from China. 

Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, said the military’s request to take back their firearms illegally confiscated by the CCG personnel “has been communicated to the appropriate government agencies.”

“We are awaiting feedback from them,” he said in a press conference in Camp Aguinaldo on Tuesday. 

Trinidad lamented China’s escalating hostilities against Filipinos in the WPS, characterizing it as the “most aggressive actions in recent history.”

“This particular June 17 incident was deliberate, it was planned, it was escalatory, it was the most aggressive action ever conducted by the agents of aggression of the Chinese Communist party in the West Philippine Sea,” he said. 

Trinidad said China’s recent actions in the WPS are only a “microcosm” of its illegal presence in the Philippine waters.  

“Their actions fall under illegal, coercive, aggressive, and deceptive,” he stressed. 

“The reason why we are calling this out is because we don’t want any unintended consequence, these illegal actions increase the risk of miscalculation and we don’t get to that point,” he added.