"Not a Matter to Invoke Mutual Defense Treaty"
"Troop Resupply Schedule to Be Disclosed in Advance"
The Philippine government has shown signs of trying to lower tensions over the incident in which a Chinese Coast Guard vessel attacked a Philippine Navy ship engaged in personnel rotation and supply missions at the Second Thomas Shoal (known as Ren'ai Jiao in Chinese and Ayungin in Filipino), a disputed area in the South China Sea.
According to major foreign media on the 22nd (local time), Lucas Bersamin, the Philippine Secretary of the Interior and Local Government, said at a briefing the previous day that the collision was "probably a mistake or an accident," adding, "We are not ready to classify this as an armed attack."
He viewed the incident as not warranting the activation of the mutual defense treaty with the United States, stating, "The fact that China was not informed in advance about the Philippine military's schedule to resupply personnel and materials stationed at the Second Thomas Shoal may have triggered this collision."
Secretary Bersamin recommended to President Marcos, under the name of the National Maritime Commission which he chairs, that resupply missions be conducted regularly and schedules be disclosed in advance so that China can act with greater restraint. President Marcos accepted the commission's recommendation and announced that "resupply missions to the Second Thomas Shoal will be conducted routinely according to a regular schedule."
Andrei Sentino, the Presidential Adviser on Maritime Affairs, also stated that the activation of the mutual defense treaty with the United States was not considered in discussions related to this incident.
On the 17th, at the Second Thomas Shoal, the Chinese Coast Guard attacked the Philippine Navy, resulting in injuries to Philippine soldiers. According to the Philippine military, Chinese Coast Guard personnel wielded machetes, axes, sticks, and hammers to attack unarmed Philippine soldiers aboard two lifeboats. One Philippine soldier had his right thumb severed, and several others were injured.
Since 1999, the Philippines has deliberately grounded the World War II-era landing ship Sierra Madre on the Second Thomas Shoal and has stationed about ten marines there under the pretext of guarding the ship, regularly resupplying them with materials and ship reinforcement supplies. China has obstructed these Philippine military resupply missions using water cannons and other means, leading to repeated clashes in the waters near the shoal.
Some fear that following this collision, China might attempt to board the grounded Philippine warship BRP Sierra Madre at the Second Thomas Shoal and expel the Philippine troops stationed there.
Regarding this, Adviser Sentino said, "This is always a consideration, and we will prepare accordingly."
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