Marcos: PH won’t retreat in defending territory

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Friday underscored that the Philippines would never retreat in defending its territory. 

“Kailanman ay di tayo uurong sa pagtatanggol sa teritoryo ng Pilipinas,” Marcos said in his speech during the meeting de avance of the Alyansa Para Sa Bagong Pilipinas in Mandaluyong City. 

Filipinos should solely benefit from the country’s resources, according to Marcos. 

Recently, two Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) ships and a China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel performed aggressive and unsafe maneuvers against Philippine vessels near Bajo de Masinloc, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has said. 

Philippine Navy’s BRP Emilio Jacinto (PS35) was conducting routine and maritime patrol operations in support of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on May 5 when PLAN’s Jiangkai II-class frigates with bow numbers 554 and 573 and CCG vessel 5403 performed aggressive and unsafe maneuvers.

According to the Philippine military, the Chinese ships’ reckless actions posed a direct threat to the Philippine Navy vessel’s safety and violated the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs). 

“The AFP expresses its serious concern over these irresponsible actions by Chinese maritime forces,” the AFP had said. 

Marcos has since maintained that the Philippines would never give up an inch of its territory to any foreign nation. —LDF, GMA Integrated News

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