The national government will most likely file a case against China after its recent installation of 300-meter-long floating barriers at the southeast portion of Bajo de Masinloc, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said.
In an interview with broadcaster Anthony Taberna in “Tune In Kay Tunying” posted on Thursday, Sept. 28, Bersamin said the filing of a case is one of the options “that the government will take most likely.”
“We have always conducted our relations, foreign policy natin is a strictly diplomatic tact. Wala tayong aggressiveness or aggression or what,” he added.
The Executive Secretary said lawyers are now conducting a “serious” study on the case buildup.
“It might be, most very probably, very probable. But we are not going to say definitely that we will,” he said.
“Alam mo merong point yung pag fa-file ng kaso, pag li-litigate kapag 'di nag-participate yung China dahil ibigsabihin no’n, may resolve ka, determination to extract accountability,” Berasmin added.
The former Supreme Court Chief Justice maintained that the Marcos administration would “not lose an inch of Philippine territory or sovereignty.”
“I cannot make a statement about China. Let us say it in general terms. We are out there to defend,” he said.
Bersamin, however, noted that the country is not picking a fight with China.
China earlier remarked that the Philippines should "not provoke and cause trouble” after the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) removed the floating barriers that China Coast Guard had placed.
“We do not want to make a fight with China. We can co-exist with China,” the Executive Secretary said.
He furthered that the country must stand independent from China.
