4-6-2024 (MANILA) The Philippine military has firmly denied Chinese claims that its troops stationed on a stranded warship at the Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea aimed guns at Chinese Coast Guard vessels.
Addressing the allegations, military spokesperson Francel Margareth Padilla stated in a press conference on Tuesday that Philippine forces adhere to strict rules of engagement and consistently act with the utmost professionalism.
The controversy arose after Chinese state media outlet China Central Television (CCTV) reported on Sunday that Philippine personnel aboard a ship had pointed firearms at China’s Coast Guard in the disputed waters last month. Accompanying the report was a 29-second video clip that purportedly showed a masked individual briefly holding up a blurred object resembling a rifle.
???? Footage appears to show #Philippines personnel pointing guns at #China Coast Guard officers – CGTN
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China asserts sovereignty over nearly the entire South China Sea, a vital maritime route through which over US$3 trillion of trade passes annually. This expansive claim includes areas contested by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei. However, in 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled that China’s claims lacked legal merit.
