We have no intention of attacking anyone - Marcos
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. leads the wreath laying ceremony to mark the 10th anniversary of the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro at the headquarters of the 1st Marine Brigade at the Municipality of Barira, Province of Maguindanao Del Norte on Monday, April 29, 2024. PHOTOS BY RENE H. DILAN
MANILA, Philippines; President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday said the Philippines has no intention of “attacking anyone” as he rejected proposals to outfit vessels with water cannons.
“What we are doing is defending our sovereign rights and our sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea and we have no intention of attacking anyone with water cannons or any other such offensive. We have to call them weapons because it causes damage, so, no, that is not something that’s in the plan,” Marcos said in an interview on the sidelines of the celebration of Government-Owned or-Controlled Corporations Day in Pasay City.
“We have no intention of attacking anyone,” he told reporters.
The President said that he does not want to escalate the tension in the disputed waterway amid the China Coast Guard’s constant bullying and shadowing of Philippine vessels.
“The last thing we would like is to raise the tensions in the West Philippine Sea. And that would certainly do that, so hindi natin gagawin (we will not do that). We will not follow the Chinese Coast Guard and the Chinese vessels down that road because it is not the mission of our Navy, our Coast Guard to start or increase tensions,” he added.
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