The Philippines will not deploy its navy ships to Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal) in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said on Tuesday, explaining that the move “could be seen as provocative” and might lead to a further “escalation of tensions.”

In an interview in Bulacan, Marcos maintained the Philippine Navy’s warships will not be sent out despite China’s continuing aggression in the area.

Last week, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported acts of intimidation by the China Coast Guard (CCG) against Filipino vessels conducting civilian missions to Masinloc fishermen.

The CCG vessels, in tandem with a People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) gray ship, “simultaneously shadowed, blocked, and maneuvered dangerously” close to the PCG vessels and the Filipino fishermen.

The PLAN is China’s naval branch and the world’s largest navy.

China has been positioning its gray ship in the WPS. Still, the Philippine government noted, it was the “first time” a PLAN vessel directly intimidated Filipino vessels at a close distance of 300 yards.

Right reserved

Amid growing concerns over China’s increasing military presence in Philippine waters, National Security Council spokesperson Jonathan Malaya stressed the government “reserves the right” to deploy its gray ships to the West Philippine Sea “if necessary.”

“We do not want to be sending signals to China that they can do what they want simply because we do not want to escalate. No, it is they that first deployed the PLAN ship, therefore it is now within the right of the Philippines and we reserve that right to deploy our Philippine Navy ships in the future,” he said.

Malaya, however, maintained the government does not resort to provoking its adversaries in the WPS.

“In this case, the PRC decided to utilize the PLAN ship to block a civilian vessel of the Philippines so we are alarmed by this development, and as I said, we reserve the right to deploy our Philippine Navy ships as well because it’s unfair, it’s unequal if a civilian ship is facing a warship of the People’s Republic of China,” he said.

Diplomatic means

National Maritime Council spokesperson Alexander Lopez, however, said otherwise, stressing that the Marcos administration is adamant about resolving territorial disputes with China through “diplomatic means.”

Hence, the Philippines “cannot deploy” its warship closer to the PLAN vessels as it “might lead to a further escalation” of the situation in the WPS.

For the PCG, the deployment of Philippine warships to the WPS amid China’s continued harassment depends on Marcos’s decision.