The commander of the Philippines Coast Guard's rating emphasizes protecting the country's territorial integrity from aggressive and unlawful actions by China. The statement of the official representative of the Coast Guard for the Western Philippine Sea, Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, before journalists reads: "We will not allow ourselves to be stopped by any unlawful actions of a foreign state that interfere with our mission."
"Actions, similar to those that threaten the lives of our people at sea, in the air, and even on land, are unacceptable and must be stopped," he added. Recently, a Chinese military helicopter reportedly approached a fishing vessel of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR). The BFAR vessel was conducting a baseline maritime survey on the assessment of marine zones in the Bajo de Masinloc area in the Western Philippine Sea.
"We will continue to fulfill our mission. We will support other government agencies and ensure the safety of their personnel," noted Trinidad. Moreover, he stated that all Philippine actions to protect its marine territories comply with both local and international law.
"At the same time, Chinese unlawful actions have no place in the civilized world. If called upon, we will always be there when called upon," he concluded.
