President Marcos denounced the reported directive by the Chinese government permitting its coast guard to apprehend foreigners deemed intruding in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
In an ambush interview, President Marcos firmly stated that China’s regulation is unacceptable to the Philippines.
“That kind of action would be completely unacceptable to the Philippines,” President Marcos said.
“I do not talk about operational details, but the position that we take is that it’s unacceptable and we will take whatever measures to always protect our citizens,” he added.
The Chinese government reportedly issued this regulation following the recent civilian resupply mission of the ‘Atin Ito’ coalition to Filipino fishermen in the WPS.
According to recent reports, new Chinese regulations grant the Chinese Coast Guard the authority to detain trespassers in the South China Sea without trial and could be held for up to 60 days.
Akbayan president and ‘Atin Ito’ co-convenor Rafaela David also strongly condemned China’s threat to detain alleged trespassers, who venture into the WPS.
In a statement, David called it a “desperate move” to undermine the growing and effective active citizenship of Filipinos asserting their rights in the region.
“China’s attempt to intimidate and deter Filipino citizens from exercising their rightful activities in the WPS will not succeed. Instead, it further galvanizes our resolve to stand up for our rights and freedoms,” David said.
“The international community must recognize and condemn these aggressive tactics by China, which are designed to stifle legitimate civilian movements and maintain their militarized presence in the WPS,” she added.