PCG Prefers Enduring Water Cannon Harm Over Counterattack

PCG – The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said it is better to get hurt by water cannons than retaliate.

Commodore Jay Tarriela of the Philippine Coast Guard emphasized the importance of refraining from retaliating against Chinese water cannon attacks. He stressed that responding in kind could provide the Chinese with a pretext for escalating the situation.

Last Tuesday, the China Coast Guard launched a particularly aggressive water cannon assault on Philippine vessels engaged in a humanitarian mission at Panatag Shoal, causing significant damage to the PCG’s BRP Bagacay and the BFAR’s MV Bankaw.

Despite facing criticism on social media for perceived cowardice, the PCG’s decision not to retaliate has been commended for its strategic restraint.

“I think it’s unfair for the PCG to be labeled as coward, for not using its water cannon. In the first place, if they do think that the coast guards are cowards, they should have already stopped this (humanitarian missions), they should have already stopped publicizing this (Chinese attacks),” he said in an interview over radio dzBB.

Reports indicate that the pressure exerted by Chinese water cannons exceeded 200 pounds per square inch, posing a significant threat capable of causing damage to metal surfaces and potentially resulting in fatalities.

Admiral Ronnie Gavan, the commandant of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), has instructed an immediate evaluation of the damage sustained by the BRP Bagacay.

Commodore Arnaldo Lim, acting commander of the PCG’s Metro Manila and Central Luzon district, estimated that repairs for the 44-meter vessel, which is the 10th in the current fleet, could range from P2 million to P3 million.

Tarriela emphasized that the Chinese water cannon assault on Tuesday constituted a violation of international law and should no longer be regarded as a “grey zone tactic.” He reiterated the Philippines’ ongoing assertion of the 2016 arbitral ruling, which upheld the country’s exclusive economic zone and nullified China’s territorial claims.

“What we need to realize is we need to deescalate the tension and we should not be the reason for China to say ‘see, you’re provoking us by fighting us with water cannons,” he said. This action could potentially encourage the Chinese to deploy additional vessels into Philippine maritime territory with increased confidence.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has affirmed that its patrol vessels will only use water cannons for firefighting purposes.