The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Sunday shrugged off political noise surrounding the West Philippine Sea (WPS), declaring that no discourse—local or foreign—will shake its mandate to defend the country’s maritime territory.

Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, AFP spokesperson for the WPS, said troops remain focused and unfazed despite Senate hearings, online debates, and ongoing verbal exchanges involving the Chinese embassy.

“The members of the AFP are not affected by the ongoing political discourses about the West Philippine Sea. Our mandate is very clear to us: we will protect our sovereignty and ensure the integrity of every 'square inch' of the national territory. We have been doing this ever since the very first day our flag flew high and free. And we will continue doing so,” Trinidad told the DAILY TRIBUNE in a text message.

Frontliners know the score

Trinidad said soldiers deployed in the WPS understand the stakes better than anyone.

“They’re on the front line. They know what they’re doing. They know their mandate,” he stressed, adding that troops even laugh off “low” or misguided narratives circulating online.

He cited the June 17 incident in Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal, where Philippine personnel faced aggressive maneuvers during a rotational and resupply mission, saying troops were thoroughly briefed to avoid escalation that could trigger wider conflict.

“They know that one wrong move could escalate into war. That’s why discipline is very high,” he said.

Despite repeated water cannoning and confrontations at sea, Trinidad said morale remains steady.

“Whatever the political environment is, the troops’ morale is not affected. Their morale is still high, they're in the front line, they're used to that kind of work,” he pointed out, stressing that personnel have a “deeper understanding” of the geopolitical situation.

‘Pintakasi’ effect

Trinidad also noted a groundswell of public support online after controversial statements from the Chinese embassy.

He likened it to “pintakasi,” a local term used in Basilan to describe rival groups uniting when facing a common adversary.

“When the Chinese embassy was criticized online by netizens, the troops saw that. The feedback is spontaneous. They understand that the people get the issue,” he said.

Clarifying maritime claims

Addressing confusion over maritime features in the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG), Trinidad said the Philippine Navy provides officers and troops with constitutional and legal grounding on the country’s entitlements.

He traced the formal use of the term WPS to a 2012 administrative order during the Aquino administration, noting that the Philippines’ maritime claims are anchored in the Constitution and international law.

“It was mentioned in our Constitution, our maritime entitlements in the West Philippine Sea, and that the Kalayaan Island Group is treated as a regime of islands. It means that KIG, being 280 nautical miles away, is beyond our EEZ but is still part of WPS,” he said.

He explained that some features in the Kalayaan Island Group are considered “high-tide elevations” and not full islands capable of sustaining life, unlike Itu Aba, which is occupied by Vietnam.

“That's the correct definition of island, meaning it could sustain life on its own. So the other features are just high-tide elevations. We occupy that, it's ours. It has a territory. It is beyond the EEZ, but it's part of the West Philippine Sea,” he said.

Such distinctions, he said, are well understood within the Navy’s general officer corps.

“Our personnel know the difference between our narrative and that of the adversary,” Trinidad said, referring to claims advanced by Beijing and arguments raised during the 2016 arbitral tribunal proceedings.

For the AFP, however, the bottom line remains unchanged.

“Whatever they say in the political environment, we stay the course,” Trinidad said. “The mandate is clear. We defend what is ours.”