Tarriela: Next president must do more than make jet ski promises in WPS

Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Jay Tarriela. Photo by Noy Morcoso/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea (WPS) Jay Tarriela on Saturday said that the next president of the Philippines should know how to fight for the WPS and not make “jetski” promises about it.

Tarriela said that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is “successful” in standing up for the WPS and ensuring that Filipinos and other politicians are also supporting and believing in the WPS. He then pointed out the rising awareness of the Filipinos on the issue.

“What if it’s 2028 already? It’s the end of President Bongbong Marcos’ term. How can we assure that our fight in the West Philippine Sea will continue?” Tarriela, speaking in Filipino, raised this question during the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City.

“This is the reason why we need to reach out, to increase awareness more to ensure that the president in 2028 is not somebody who will set aside our fight in the West Philippine Sea and say ‘It has nothing to do with the Filipinos and there will be just war’ and will ride a jet ski,” Tarriela added.

READ: Duterte: Jet ski promise just a campaign joke, stupid

Tarriela also said that the issue in the WPS had been downplayed and neglected in the past years, where he said that many Filipinos believed former President Rodrigo Duterte that standing up for it would just cause trouble for the country.

It can be recalled that Duterte made a promise to ride a jet ski to the Spratly Islands and plant a Philippine flag. However, Duterte admitted that it was just a campaign stunt, and called those who believed it as “stupid.”

Duterte, who maintained close ties with China during his administration, also said that the Philippines’ victory in the 2016 tribunal ruling over China was just a “piece of paper.”

The Philippines filed an arbitration case against China in 2013 following tensions at Scarborough Shoal, where Chinese vessels blocked Philippine authorities and prohibited Filipino fishermen from accessing the area.

READ: Duterte on PH court win over China: ‘That’s just paper; I’ll throw that in the wastebasket’

China had repeatedly neglected the tribunal ruling, with its continued aggression against Filipino fishermen in the area.

Further, Tarriela said that standing up for the WPS is an “obligation” to heroes who sacrificed their lives for the country’s independence and the future generations.

He also lauded civil society organizations, such as the Atin Ito coalition, for the movement to translate WPS awareness into action.

“We need each one of you to amplify our narrative and to tell the world that there is a country like China that harasses ordinary fishermen and violates international law,” Tarriela noted.

The Atin Ito recently concluded its third civilian mission and concert in Pag-asa Island in the WPS./mr