DND slams China’s claim PH ‘distorted facts’ on Escoda Shoal incident

The Department of National Defense (DND) on Thursday pushed back against China’s accusation that the Philippines "distorted facts" in a recent incident in the West Philippine Sea, which resulted in 3 Filipino fishermen getting hurt.

"The facts are not distorted. They are documented, timestamped, and corroborated by video recordings, vessel logs, and on-site reporting by the Philippine Coast Guard," said DND spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arsenio R. Andolong in a statement.

The statement comes after China's defence ministry accused the Philippines of distorting the facts about an incident involving the Chinese coast guard and Filipino fishermen near Escoda Shoal in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

On December 12, three Filipino fishermen were injured after Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) and militia vessels used water cannons and acted aggressively against Filipino fishing boats near the shoal.

Beijing, however, denied wrongdoing and accused the Philippines of hyping the incident.

"The Philippines is not hyping the issue, the facts speak for themselves. These are aggressive, excessive, and dangerous actions of an encroaching state," DND said in its statement. 

China’s own Coast Guard had publicly acknowledged implementing “control measures,” which it said effectively confirmed interference with civilian fishing boats and with Philippine Coast Guard vessels that were assisting injured fishermen.

“That statement alone confirms their interference with civilian fishing boats and Philippine Coast Guard vessels providing aid to injured civilians,” Andolong said.

“No amount of rhetorical reframing changes the reality that ordinary fishermen were harmed while fishing lawfully within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.”

China’s defense ministry earlier said it would take “strong and effective measures” in response to what it called Philippine “infringement and provocation.” 

The DND, however, responded by saying, “Reckless conduct at sea does not constitute ‘effective measures.”

The DND reiterated that the Philippines would continue to protect its people, assert its maritime rights, and uphold international law in a “calm, professional, and transparent” manner, despite what it described as China’s persistent unsafe behavior in the West Philippine Sea.

“What truly threatens peace is the persistent, unsafe behavior that endangers civilians and demonizes any form of resistance against an abusive neighbor,” added Andolong.

The Philippines has said it would protest the Chinese coast guard's "harassment and endangerment" of Filipino fishermen in Escoda Shoal.

"The Philippines will undertake the appropriate diplomatic response and register its strong objection to these actions and demand that China cease such aggressive acts," the Philippines' maritime council said in a statement. —with reports from Reuters/ VAL, GMA Integrated News