Don’t block us in our own territory – Marcos

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines will not waver in defending the country’s sovereignty and protecting the welfare of Filipino fishermen in the West Philippine Sea, President Marcos said.

Marcos’ statement comes after China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels once again harassed and water cannoned Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) ships at Panatag Shoal on Friday.

In the second episode of the BBM podcast released yesterday, Marcos said the Philippines does not want confrontation with any country but is only defending and protecting its territory in the West Philippine Sea.

“We’re not fighting anyone. But don’t hit our fishermen, OK? Don’t block us in our territory. We will really fight for that,” he stressed.

“Because if we give them that (West Philippine Sea), like they say: ‘You give them an inch, they will take a mile.’ So you cannot allow it, even the one inch,” the President added.

Marcos said he wants the people to remember his administration as the one which defended and protected the Philippines’ territory in the West Philippine Sea.

“We did not yield. We continue to protect the sovereignty of the Republic.

We continue to defend the territory of the Republic. And we continue to protect and defend the people of the Republic,” he said.

In a post on X, Philippine Coast Guard spokesman on the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela said BFAR’s Datu Tamblot, Datu Taradapit, Datu Bankaya and Datu Daya sailed to Panatag Shoal with PCG personnel onboard on Friday to distribute fuel subsidies to over 20 fishing boats.

“However, at approximately 10 a.m., BRP Datu Taradapit faced aggressive maneuvers from the Chinese Coast Guard vessel CCG-4203, which approached within 600 yards and fired a water cannon from 15.6 nautical miles southwest of Panatag Shoal,” Tarriela said.

“Six China Coast Guard vessels, two PLA (People’s Liberation Army) Navy warships and multiple Chinese maritime militia vessels were monitored, all of which aimed to obstruct BFAR’s efforts to provide support and subsidies to Filipino fishermen,” he added.