Facts Are Not Provocation
The recent back-and-forth between Commodore Jay Tarriela, spokesperson for the Philippine Coast Guard, and the Chinese Embassy in Manila is more than a mere disagreement over words. At its core, it is a challenge to the Philippines’ commitment to transparency in the West Philippine Sea—and an attempt to silence the truth.
“What the Coast Guard is presenting are records, not rhetoric,” emphasized Dr. Jose Antonio Goitia. “Facts don’t become hostile just because they are inconvenient.”
Commodore Tarriela’s statements were grounded in official documents, photographs, and clear accounts of what is happening at sea. These are not speculations or provocations, but facts.
Transparency Is an Institutional Mandate
Transparency is not the whim of a single spokesperson. It is a deliberate, coordinated policy of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration, intended to ensure the public knows the real situation—unfiltered and unvarnished.
“To demand silence from one official is to ignore the policy behind him,” Goitia pointed out. “This is not an individual’s position; it is the government’s official stance.”
Threats Are Not Diplomacy
China has abandoned diplomatic norms, escalating from embassy warnings to direct threats from its Foreign Ministry. The declaration that Philippine Coast Guard and government officials must “stop provocations or pay the price” is not diplomacy—it is coercion, broadcast before the international community. Such statements are unacceptable, violating the standards of international law and respectful state relations.
This rhetoric reveals not strength, but fear of accountability. As Goitia observes, “When diplomacy loses restraint, it becomes coercion. Threats betray anxiety in the face of truth.”
Intimidation cannot erase facts or diminish the Philippines’ resolve. Instead, these actions expose China’s desperation to avoid scrutiny. The Philippines stands firm in truth and law, and calls on the global community to denounce and reject such tactics, which have no place between sovereign nations.
The Proper Forum Is the State
This issue now sits firmly at the institutional level. Senator Risa Hontiveros has called on the Department of Foreign Affairs to address China’s aggressive conduct, invoking the obligations of foreign missions under the Vienna Convention.
“This is where the issue belongs,” Goitia said. “States speak to states. Public servants should not be targeted or threatened for lawfully doing their duty.”
Institutions Must Stand
The Philippine Coast Guard acted within its mandate. Commodore Tarriela spoke with rightful authority. Now, the state must defend its institutions and those who serve with integrity.
“Our republic endures,” Goitia concluded, “not by fleeing from the truth, but by standing firmly for it.”
The State and Its People Stand United
The Department of Foreign Affairs has affirmed its full support for Philippine officials and institutions defending the nation’s sovereignty, rights, and jurisdiction. This resolve is echoed by the Filipino people, who stand firmly behind their government and Coast Guard in upholding the rule of law and national dignity. It is a unity grounded in justice, evidence, and our rightful place in the international community. The Philippines reiterates that disputes between states must be resolved through diplomatic channels, even as it continues to assert its position on the West Philippine Sea—firmly, consistently, and grounded in UNCLOS and the 2016 Arbitral Award.
The message is clear: transparency is a mark of strength, not defiance; true diplomacy demands honesty, not silence. The Philippines will never yield its rights, its truth, or its sovereign duty in the face of China’s threats or intimidation—whether in our own waters or before the world.
Dr. Jose Antonio Goitia, Juris Doctor, PhD, Chairman Emeritus of Alyansa ng Bantay sa Kapayapaan at Demokrasya (ABKD), People’s Alliance for Democracy and Reforms (PADER), Liga Independencia Pilipinas (LIPI), and the Filipinos Do Not Yield Movement (FDNY), holds advanced degrees, including an MNSA, MPA, and MBA, among others.
