MANILA, Philippines- Hindi gagamit Pilipinas ng pwersa o pananakot para makapagdulot ng pinsala sa gitna ng tensyon sa West Philippine Sea (WPS).
“In the performance of our duties, we will not resort to the use of force or intimidation, or deliberately inflict injury or harm to anyone,” ayon kay Pangulong Marcos sa isinagawang Talk To Troops sa Western Command Headquarters sa Camp General Artemio Ricarte sa Puerto Princesa City, Palawan.
“We are not in the business to instigate wars — our great ambition is to provide a peaceful and prosperous life for every Filipino. This is the drum beat — this is the principle that we live by, that we march by,” dagdag na wika nito.
Binisita ni Pangulong Marcos ang Western Command headquarters isang linggo matapos magsagawa ang Philippine forces ng rotation and reprovisioning (RORE) mission sa BRP Sierra Madre sa Ayungin Shoal sa WPS kung saan naharap ang agresibong aksyon mula sa China Coast Guard.
Pinuri naman ni Pangulong Marcos ang 80 sundalo na nagkaroon ng bahagi sa June 17 RORE mission.
Pinagkalooban din ng Pangulo ng Order of Lapu-Lapu Rank of Kampilan si Seaman First Class Underwater Operator Jeffrey Facundo at Order of Lapu-Lapu Rank of Kamagi ang 79 iba pang military personnel na naging bahagi ng misyon.
Si Facundo ay isa sa mga sundalong nasugatan at naputulan ng daliri matapos ang agresibong aksyon ng Tsina sa isinagawang RORE mission sa Ayungin Shoal.
Tinuran ng Pangulo na nakaramdam siya ng “great relief” tna makita ang mga sundalo “all back in home ground, safe and sound.”
“The past few weeks have been nothing short of challenges — you can even say dangerous. Despite these challenges, you have stood up and upheld the fundamental principles that binds all of us Filipinos. A mutual respect for life, for dignity, and for community,” ayon sa Punong Ehekutibo.
Sinabi ng Pangulo na “proud” siya sa mga matatapang na kababaihan at kalalakihan hindi lamang ng Western Command kundi sa buong Armed Forces.
Sa kabilang dako, hinikayat naman ng Pangulo ang mga sundalo na ipagpatuloy lamang ang kanilang tungkulin na ipagtanggol ang bansa.
“So, on behalf of the Filipino nation, I make this great request of you: continue to fulfill your duty of defending the nation with integrity and respect as you have done so far,” giit ni Marcos.
“We refuse to play by the rules that force us to choose sides in a great power competition. No government that truly exists in the service of the people would invite danger or harm to lives and livelihood,” dagdag na pahayag ng Pangulo.
“And that is why, in defending the nation, we stay true to our Filipino nature that we would like to settle all these issues peacefully.”
Ipinag-utos ni Pangulong Marcos sa mga sundalo na manindigan. “Our calm and peaceful disposition should not be mistaken for acquiescence.”
“History itself can tell that we have never, never in the history of Philippines, yielded to any foreign power,” aniya pa rin sabay sabing “we owe to our forefathers the duty to keep the freedoms that they fought, bled, and died for, and that we presently enjoy,” giit niya.
“Kailanman ay hindi tayo magpapa-supil at magpapa-api kahit na kanino man.”
“The Philippines is a responsible state. We will continue to exercise our freedoms and rights in support of our national interest, in accordance with international law,” aniya pa .
“Let us continue to chart the destiny of our nation as that is what we are doing now. We are charting the destiny of the Philippines, one that is strengthened by diversity and united in our quest for peace.”
Ang Ayungin Shoal (Second Thomas Shoal) — tinatawag na Ren’ai Reef ng Tsina– ay nakalubog na reef Spratly Islands, grupo ng mahigit100 isla at reefs sa South China Sea.
Samantala, regular namang nagsagawa ang gobyerno ng RORE missions para magbigay ng pagkain at iba pang suplay sa mga sundalo na nakatalaga sa BRP Sierra Madre. Kris Jose
