The recent attack by China against Philippine sailors in the Ayungin Shoal is not considered as an armed attack by the Philippine government, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said Friday.

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<div><span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(51, 51, 51);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none">MANILA - &quot;Probably a misunderstanding or an accident.&quot; </span></div><div><span style="color:rgb(51, 51, 51);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none">This is how <span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(51, 51, 51);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none">Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin described t</span>he recent attack by the Chinese Coast Guard against Philippine sailors in Ayungin Shoal, in which Chinese sailors</span><span id="isPasted"> <span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none">r</span><span style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);float:none;display:inline !important">ammed and boarded Filipino navy boats, while <span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(0, 0, 0);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none">waving knives and even an axe.</span></span></span></div><style type="text/css" id="isPasted">
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</style><p>&quot;This was probably a misunderstanding or an accident. We are not yet ready to consider this as an armed attack,&quot; Bersamin said in a press conference.</p><p>&quot;‘Yung mga nakita natin ay bolo, mga axe. Nothing beyond that,&quot; he added.</p><p>Asked if the incident would invoke the country&#x27;s Mutual Defense Treaty with the United States, Bersamin said they have not considered it in their discussions.</p><div><ivs-player data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-vid="3057668"></ivs-player></div><script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script><p>He said the Philippine government will now announce the schedule of its rotation and reprovision missions to the BRP Sierra Madre at teh Ayungin Shoal. </p><style type="text/css" id="isPasted">
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</style><p>&quot;We just don’t know if the reason for this is there was no prior knowledge on the part of China that we were resupplying,&quot; he said.</p><style type="text/css" id="isPasted">
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</style><p>&quot;In the best interest of all parties, I think it was a wise decision for the President to accept our recommendation to publicize our schedule of activities without giving up anything. Wala namang masama doon,&quot; Bersamin added.</p><style type="text/css" id="isPasted">
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</style><p>Earlier this week, the Philippines alleged the Chinese rammed and boarded Filipino navy boats in a violent confrontation in which a Filipino sailor lost a thumb off Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea. </p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/6/20/senate-probe-on-latest-philippines-china-sea-clash-743">Senate probe on latest Philippines-China sea clash sought</a></div><p>Footage released by the Philippine military late Wednesday showed small boats crewed by Chinese sailors shouting, waving knives and using sticks to hit an inflatable boat as a siren blared.</p><style type="text/css" id="isPasted">
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</style><p>Monday&#x27;s incident was the latest in a series of escalating confrontations between Chinese and Philippine ships in recent months as Beijing steps up efforts to push its claims to the disputed area.</p><p>The United States has said that &quot;an armed attack&quot; against Philippine public vessels, aircraft, armed forces and coastguard anywhere in the South China Sea would require it to come to Manila&#x27;s defense as a treaty ally.</p><p>US Secretary of State Antony Blinken &quot;emphasized that (China&#x27;s) actions undermine regional peace and stability&quot; in a call with his Philippine counterpart Enrique A. Manalo on Wednesday, according to the State Department.</p><p>Blinken said they also &quot;underscored the United States&#x27; ironclad commitments to the Philippines under our Mutual Defense Treaty&quot;.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/6/20/gov-t-urged-to-convene-national-security-council-to-address-china-aggression-1948">Gov&#x27;t urged to convene National Security Council to address China aggression</a></div><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/6/21/4-chinese-warships-spotted-off-palawan-afp-1302">4 Chinese warships spotted off Balabac Island in Palawan — AFP</a></div>

<p>The recent attack by China against Philippine sailors in the Ayungin Shoal is not considered as an armed attack by the Philippine government, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said Friday.</p>

China's latest aggression vs PH not considered armed attack; invocation of pact with US 'not considered' | ABS-CBN

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China's latest aggression vs PH not considered armed attack; invocation of pact with US 'not considered'

China's latest aggression vs PH not considered armed attack; invocation of pact with US 'not considered'

ABS-CBN News

Published Jun 21, 2024 07:03 PM PHT

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China

West Philippine Sea

Ayungin Shoal

Philippine Navy

Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Lucas Bersamin

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