PHILIPPINE Coast Guard Commodore Jay Tarriela pushed back Saturday against claims that his public warnings about Beijing’s actions are inflaming tensions in the West Philippine Sea, insisting critics are blaming the messenger instead of the source of the problem.
“But to argue na I’m inflaming the relations between the Philippines and China, the same question na tinatanong ko kay Sen. [Alan] Cayetano, bakit ako ang may kasalanan dito?” Tarriela said during the Saturday Media Forum held at the Dapo Restaurant in Quezon City.
Speaking in response to comments attributed to former national security adviser Prof. Claire Carlos, Tarriela stressed that what he has been doing is documenting and publicizing China’s conduct toward Filipino forces and civilians.
“Sinasabi ko lang naman sa mga Pilipino at inilalathala lang naman lang naman natin sa mundo kung ano ang pambababoy, pang-wawalanghiya ng Chinese maritime forces sa ating mga kababayang Pilipino, sa Philippine Coast Guard and the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” Tarriela said.
“Ngayon, ako pa ba ang may kasalanan? Ako ba ang dahilan kung bakit nagkakagulo sa West Philippine Sea? Hindi ba dapat ang tinatawagan natin dito are the Chinese maritime forces na as we speak right now remains to be encroaching our exclusive economic zone illegally?” he added.
“Hindi ba sila ang nagpapainit ng tension sa West Philippine Sea?” Tarriela asked.
On the warning that Manila should avoid giving China “cause” to attack, Tarriela argued the language echoes a familiar line from the previous administration, one he described as rooted in fear of military disparity and used to discourage Filipinos from standing up for maritime rights.
“Alam mo ‘yung issue na aatakihin tayo ng China, that has been a former president line last administration. Na hindi tayo makakatindig, hindi tayo makakapaglaban sa West Philippine Sea at some point. He even admitted that he is inutil because of this power, disparity our military with China,” he noted.
“The fear mongering, tinatakot tayo na huwag tayong tumindig, huwag tayong magsalita dahil magkaka-giyera. Sa loob ng tatlong taong mahigit na i-dinedeliver ni President Marcos ang kanyang commitment of not surrendering a square inch of our territory to any foreign power, hindi naman nagkaroon ng banta ng pagkakaroon ng giyera,” Tarriela said.
“Ang pagbabanta uli ng giyera ay naririnig lang natin ‘yan sa mga DDS trolls, sa mga pro-China trolls, at ngayon narinig natin kay Professor Clarita Carlos,” he said.
The post Tarriela tells critics to blame China in WPS tension: ‘Bakit ako ang may kasalanan dito?’. appeared first on Journal News Online.
