Tarriela: PCG backs DFA over possible pact with CCG

Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela — File photo by Gabryelle Dumalag

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) supports its possible cooperative deal with Chinese counterparts as revealed by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

Commodore Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea affairs made the remark Thursday after DFA chief Ma. Theresa Lazaro said that a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between PCG and China Coast Guard (CCG) is now in the works, according to a Philippine News Agency report.

“If that is something that the Department of Foreign Affairs supports, then the Philippine Coast Guard will also support,” Tarriela said in a chance interview at a West Philippine Sea forum in Makati City.

“The Philippine Coast Guard always supports policy direction being headed by the Department of Foreign Affairs,” he also said.

Tarriela, however, thinks it is similar to the previous talks of joint Coast Guard cooperation between Manila and Beijing under the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

“But as to the details of that, I don’t have any specific information,” he said.

However, Tarriela expressed confidence that the talks will not delve on negotiations on the country’s stance in the West Philippine Sea.

“It’s not about the position of our issue in the West Philippine Sea. There are various and very diverse maritime functions that the Coast Guard has, whether it’s related to search and rescue, environmental protection,” he noted.

Security expert Chester Cabalza urged the government to give this deal a chance.

“If we succeed in the MOU between the PCG and CCG, Chinese ICAD attacks to our frontline crew in the WPS will tone down and possibly our fishermen can enjoy the bounty of our seas in Scarborough and Second Thomas shoals again,” Cabalza, president of the Manila-based think tank International Development and Security Cooperation, said in a message to Inquirer on Thursday.

“The MOU with China might open opportunities in our strategic relationship with them,” Cabalza also said. 

“Let’s give it a chance as long as we do not compromise our national interests,” Cabalza added.

The PCG has become the subject of CCG aggressions like the usage of water cannons, military-grade lasers, and its conducts of ramming and dangerous maneuvers in the West Philippine Sea.

Beijing claims sovereignty in almost the entire South China Sea but Manila brought the matter to an international court, which ruled in favor of its sovereign rights in 2016.

Cabalza noted that the possible MOU between PCG and CCG came at a time as the Philippines gears up to assume the chairmanship of Association of SouthEast Asian Nations (Asean) in 2026.

There is ongoing negotiation for the code of conduct with China in the South China Sea, which will likely be unfinished by the time Malaysia’s term lapses this year.

As early as 1992, Asean called for a maritime code of conduct with Beijing, and former DFA chief Enrique Manalo expressed hopes that the  agreement will be made by 2026

READ: PH hopeful Asean, China to adopt South China Sea code of conduct in 2026

In 2020, the PCG and CCG held high-level talks to explore ways to step up cooperation between two armed uniformed services.

READ: PH, China coast guards explore ways to boost cooperation in high-level talks

During that time, both sides talked about establishing a “hotline communication mechanism” and “communication protocol for engagement at sea between coast guards” to serve as a provisional operational arrangement between PCG and CCG.

READ: Coast Guard looks forward to fresh talks with China counterpart

In 2023, former PCG spokesperson Adm. Artemio Abu said it is looking forward to another high-level meeting, but it was not clear what occurred after this. /das