AFP maintains rules of engagement in WPS amid China's 'gray zone' tactics — Brawner

Military chief, General Romeo Brawner Jr., maintained that the Armed Forces of the Philippines will strictly uphold rules of engagement in dealing with China’s increasing aggressions in the West Philippine Sea.

“We have a very clear guidance to our troops, particularly those who are in the West Philippine Sea and those who are manning the BRP Sierra Madre, our rules-of-engagement are very clear and the guidance also of our President to our troops is not to escalate the situation on the ground or on the seas, so to speak,” Brawner said, in a press conference shortly after AFP’s Command Conference last Thursday.

Brawner touted that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. lauded the AFP’s reactions during the last rotational and re-provisional (RORE) operation in the Ayungin Shoal.

“He said: ‘What you're doing is really difficult because while you're defending our country, you're also practicing restraint.’ Our soldiers are restraining themselves, even if they want to fight all the way, they can't do it, so that is the situation on the ground,” he said.

He noted the AFP will do its best to prevent any miscommunication within the government.

“We are going to make sure that, within the concerned agencies, we are going to reach out to them and to give them the information that would allow us to work in unison, so that is what we will do,” he added.

Asked to comment on the criticism against the President in regard to specifying what constitutes an armed attack, Brawner said. “Well, that's what China is doing, what we call gray zone tactics, meaning they operate under the threshold of war or conflict they are under the gray zone, what they call it.”

“But we have called it a new name now. We don't call it gray zone anymore because their actions are still being justified. So we call it ICAD—these are Illegal, Coercive, Aggressive, and Deceptive Actions by China,” he added.

Brawner stressed the AFP is also sure of its counteractions against China’s gray zone tactics.

“Again, everything has to be crystal clear, especially to us who are operating on the ground, on the seas. There should be no gray areas. It should be crystal clear,” he said.