MANILA, Philippines – SINABI ng Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) na dapat na pinananatili ng anumang seafaring nation ang “professional” at international law-backed actions para mapigilan ang panganib ng aksidente o hindi inaasahang pagkawala ng buhay sa karagatan.
Ang kalatas ay matapos na kumpirmahin ng Beijing ang pagkasawi ng dalawang mandaragat sa naging banggaan ng dalawang Chinese vessels habang hinahabol ang Philippine Coast Guard vessel malapit sa Bajo de Masinloc sa West Philippine Sea (WPS) noong 2025.
Sinabi ni Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad, AFP spokesperson for the WPS, nang tanungin ukol sa insidente ng nakaraang taon, na ang “unsafe and unprofessional maneuvers” sa karagatan ay inilalagay sa panganib ang buhay.
“In the conduct of AFP operations, mission accomplishment and safety of the men and women involved are always paramount. It is for these reasons that all our actions have to be professional, have to be within established protocols, and backed up by international law,” ang sinabi ni Trinidad.
Winika pa ni Trinidad na ang anumang seafaring nation ay “should act within the bounds of the established international laws” gaya ng International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs), o mas kilala bilang global “rules of the road” para sa mga vessels, at iba pang maritime regulations para maiwasan ang mga panganib sa buhay.
“All our actions by any nation and seafaring nation will have to be professional, will have to be within the bounds of established protocols, such as the rules of the road, COLREGS, and other established protocols, and backed up by international law,” aniya pa rin. KRIS JOSE
