Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marco Jr. recently met with defense personnel within the government regarding the China Coast Guard’s harassment of Philippine resupply efforts to the BRP Sierra Madre yesterday, March 28th.
Discussions surrounding removing the BRP Sierra Madre from its permanent post near the Second Thomas Shoal are not something Marcos Jr. was aware of, as his statement claims. He also states that if there is an agreement, he will “rescind” it.
Marcos Jr. described the actions of the China as “illegal, coercive, aggressive and dangerous.” He proposed a “countermeasure package” that would be “proportionate, deliberate, and reasonable” in the face of hostilities.
The President stated that the Philippines “does not seek conflict with any nation,” pointing out nations that claim to be an ally of the Philippines, and lastly, the nation will “not be cowed into silence, submission, or subservience.”
