Navy pushes back against China

Amid discussions on what diplomatic measures to take to uphold the country’s dignity with regard to the West Philippine Sea, Philippine Navy spokesperson and WPS representative Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad on Tuesday said the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will continue to defend the nation against China’s narratives.

“China’s Communist Party is an existential threat to the Philippines. Their illegal presence in our EEZ, their coercive actions against the Philippine Navy, the Coast Guard, BFAR, and other agencies, against the AFP, have been recorded. Again I say, numbers do not lie, people do. Their deceptive messaging is there to give a sense of legitimacy to their coercive actions. They are an existential threat,” Trinidad told reporters during the weekly briefing at Camp Aguinaldo.

He said the government’s position is clear.

“The WPS is ours. We will not give up one square inch. The AFP will keep performing its mandate, and we have been performing ever since,” he said.

“The stance of the AFP, under the response initiative, is to tell the story as it is. We have been hit by coercive and invasive actions. There has been an illegal presence since 1992 by the Chinese Coast Guard, Navy and militia,” Trinidad added.

The Navy admiral stressed that the current political environment will not weaken their resolve to protect the WPS. He said the troops remain focused on their duty to the country and the Constitution, undistracted by ongoing disagreements between national leaders.

“The AFP will continue performing its mandate to ensure the integrity of our national territory,” Trinidad told DAILY TRIBUNE after the briefing.

He also welcomed visits by lawmakers to the contested areas, much like the Philippine Coast Guard’s invitation to some solons to visit the Kalayaan Island Group.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Military Academy Alumni Association issued a statement on Tuesday affirming the Philippines’ rights under international law.