An independent national security advocate on Sunday, Dec. 10, expressed worries that China’s aggression toward the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) might worsen.
Interviewed during DZRH Huntahan, independent national security advocate Rommel Banlaoi mentioned the possibility that China forces may arrest and detain Filipinos and confiscate their ship to prevent them from accessing the key areas in WPS.
“Ako ay nangangamba sa mga retaliatory measures na ginagawa ng China kasi patindi nang patindi yung kanyang action sa atin. Ako ay nangangamba baka mag-ecalate ang situation at humantong sa grabe pa na pangyayari [....] Sa tingin ko, ang mas malala pa na gawin ng China, na base sa ginawa ng China sa ibang bansa noon, ay arestuhin, pigilan, i-confiscate yung ship, arestuhin ang mga tao doon, at i-detain. Ayun ang pwedeng gawin ng China,” he said.
Banloi warned that if this happens, the bilateral relationship between the Philippines and China “may deteriorate.”
“Sa ngayon, ang ating bilateral ties with China ay parang nasa cliff, any time pwede nang mahulog iyan. Pero hindi pa naman nahuhulog, time to rescue this,” he added.
Dr. Rommel Banlaoi, Independent National Security Advocate, sa nangyaring water cannoning: Asahan natin na mangyayari ang ganyang insidente dahil hindi titigil ang China sa pagpigil sa atin sa paglayag diyan. #Huntahan#SamaSamaTayoPilipino
— DZRH NEWS (@dzrhnews) December 10, 2023
LIVE: https://t.co/7ZycGGOHDT pic.twitter.com/vpNzUNMqOD
The independent national security advocate made the remarks after the Chinese Coast Guard rammed and used water cannons on the vessels of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources namely Datu Sanday, Datu Bankaw, and Datu Tamblot near the contested waters in the WPS on Saturday, Dec. 9.
The next day, in the morning of Dec. 10, Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela reported that China once again fired water cannons and rammed their resupply vessels, Unaizah Mae 1 and M/L Kalayaan, in the WPS.
M/L Kalayaan, Tariela said, sustained "serious engine damage” after the water bombing incident.
According to Banlaoi, China would not stop its action against Philippine vessels.
“Sa aking pag-aaral ng mga galaw sa China, hindi siya hihinto at hindi rin siya magpapatalo sa ginagawa natin dahil may iba siyang pang-unawa sa sitwasyon. At ayun ang problema ng Pilipinas at China. Magkaiba ang kanilang unawa sa sitwasyon at magkaiba ang kanilang national situation. Dahil magkaiba, magkakaroon talaga ng ganyan klase encounrters,” he explained.
The independent national security advocate said it is important for the Philippines to communicate with China, discuss the differences, and make some arrangements. Otherwise, he said, encounter between the Philippines and China vessels would not cease.
The independent national security advocate stressed that a diplomatic process is the best solution to the problem in the disputed sea.
“Let’s go back to diplomacy kasi ngayon, we are privileging the enforcement, we are privileging the security. If we are privileging enforcement and security, it will create anxieties [...] Let’s put diplomacy back to the table, at the forefront of resolving our problem with China in the West Philippine Sea,” Banlaoi said.
