MANILA — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) won\u2019t be provoked by China\u2019s aggressive actions in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), a PCG official said over the weekend. In a news forum in Quezon City last saturday, Commodore Jay Tarriela of the West Philippine Sea Transparency Office of the PCG, brushed off public criticisms regarding PCG\u2019s response to China\u2019s recent provocative action in WPS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said the Coast Guard personnel have a chain of command to follow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have a chain of command. We respect the guidance of our President. The guidance of the President is that we should not be provoked, we should not be the reason of intensifying the escalation for China to justify to once again bring the next level of aggression kung anuman ang plano nilang gawin,\u201d Tarriella said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said the Coast Guard personnel share the level of emotion the public is experiencing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut we cannot do otherwise because we have to comply and we know for a fact \u2013 we trust our Commander-in-Chief, the National Task Force-West Philippine Sea, of course the National Security Adviser \u2013 but we have to maintain professionalism in dealing with this kind of bullying of the Chinese Coast Guard,\u201d he explained. The PCG official said it\u2019s unfair to describe the Coast Guard personnel as cowards, noting \u201cwe are just doing our patriotic duty.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels blasted water cannons against PCG\u2019s BRP Bagacay and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources\u2019 BRP Datu Bankaw last April 30, causing over P2 million in damages. (PND)<\/p>\n