Tensions in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) are not necessarily rising, according to Commodore Jay Tarriela, the spokesperson for the Philippine Coast Guard in the WPS
Tarriela emphasized that the recent increase in reported incidents is due to the Philippine government's transparency initiative, which aims to inform the public about events in the WPS
He suggested that the government's openness about these incidents has led to greater media coverage, making it seem like tensions are increasing
Tarriela acknowledged that he cannot speak for previous incidents that occurred before his appointment as PCG WPS spokesperson
However, he stressed that the number of reported incidents hasn't necessarily escalated, but there have been collisions attributed to aggressive behavior and dangerous maneuvers by the China Coast Guard (CCG) and Chinese maritime militia
Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro expressed the seriousness of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. regarding the recent collision incident at Ayungin Shoal
Marcos directed the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to investigate the collision, which involved a China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel and a Philippine resupply boat
A command conference was called to address China's latest violation in the resource-rich region
The PCG estimated that the investigation would take approximately five days to complete