00:00The issue of Escoda or Sabina Shoal as a new flashpoint between China and the Philippine
00:04government seeking to protect its sovereignty in its exclusive economic zone is of little
00:10relevance or no consequence at all. So says the Armed Forces of the Philippines or AFP that
00:16insists China's illegal and continued presence in the country's waters is the only issue that
00:21counts as our. Alan Francisco lays out in this report.
00:25One of those options that we are considering as you all know in any activities in the past,
00:35our Department of Foreign Affairs would probably file a diplomatic protest or not verbal
00:45and this is being seriously being studied by the Department of Foreign Affairs.
00:51That statement was made by National Maritime Council Spokesperson Alexander Lopez regarding
00:56the next steps the Philippine government intends to take following the recent Escoda Shoal incident.
01:01To recall, two Philippine Coast Guard vessels sustained physical damage
01:06after being rammed by Chinese vessels. In the statement released by the National Maritime
01:11Council, the details of the incident in Escoda Shoal on August 19 are clearly laid out.
01:16They contend the BRP Bagacay and BRP Cape and Caño were conducting regular and routine logistics
01:23patrols in the West Philippine Sea on August 18. However, on the morning of August 19,
01:28they were rammed by Chinese Coast Guard vessels, causing damage to the Philippine Coast Guard
01:33vessels. The council stated the incident was an unprofessional and dangerous action by the Chinese
01:40Coast Guard and a violation of international law. Therefore, the Philippines urged China
01:46to avoid overly aggressive actions and instead comply with international law.
01:50This unprofessional and dangerous actions of the Chinese Coast Guard vessels were in violation of
01:58international law including UNCLOS and the 1972 Convention on the International Regulations for
02:07Preventing Collisions at Sea. These illegal actions do not contribute to confidence-building
02:16measures necessary for the improvement of relations on the basis of mutual respect
02:23and for a rules-based international order. Hence, the Philippines urges China to refrain
02:31from aggressive actions and adhere to international law. The Philippines is concerned about what it
02:38perceives as China's acts of harassment and disrespect of the country's sovereignty in the
02:43West Philippine Sea. The National Maritime Council emphasized the Philippines will continue to uphold
02:49peaceful means to protect its rights and jurisdiction in the West Philippine Sea.
02:53Well, in line with the President's directive, because if we would be going beyond diplomatic
03:01or peaceful approach, you can just imagine, maybe if you're referring to more kinetic actions,
03:08that would not be to the best interest of our country and of China and even in the region.
03:13So we're looking at this approach. We can never go wrong by using this diplomatic and peaceful
03:20approach. And we are compliant to the Code of Conduct that we have signed in 2002, that among
03:29others, parties will restrain, will exercise restraint in the conduct of activities that would
03:37complicate or even escalate the dispute in the area, among others. Meanwhile, the Armed Forces
03:43of the Philippines believe Sabina or Escoda Shoal is not a new flashpoint or center of tension in
03:49the West Philippine Sea. The AFP reiterated any presence of Chinese vessels in any part of the
03:55West Philippine Sea is illegal. According to monitoring by the Philippine Navy, there are over
04:00100 Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea. However, the two Chinese research vessels have
04:05already left. Their actions are coercive and aggressive. Their messages are deceptive.
04:12This is the cause of all the dynamics in the West Philippine Sea. Sabina is not a flashpoint,
04:19it is the active activities, presence and messages of the agents of the Chinese Communist Party.
