(Eagle News)–The Philippines may sever its diplomatic ties with China if the ramming by a Chinese vessel of a Filipino fishing boat in the West Philippine Sea was intentional.
This is according to Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo, who had earlier denounced the Chinese vessel’s “act of abandonment” of the 22 Filipino fishermen in the incident on June 9.
“We will cut off diplomatic relations ‘yan ang unang ginagawa kapag mayroong mga aggressive acts. Magdi-diplomatic protest ka. Kung hindi ka kuntento sa paliwanag nila at nakita natin na talagang sinadya e ibang usapan na ‘iyon,” he said.
He said the Philippines would have a “calibrated ” response to the issue, and would “not allow ourselves to be assaulted, to be bullied, to be the subject of such barbaric, uncivilized and outrageous actions from any source.”
He noted that a diplomatic protest has already been filed in connection with the incident.
“Given the steps undertaken by the President on the Canada trash issue, that (loosening of ties) is more likely,” he said.
Earlier, the President threatened to go to war with Canada if it did not take back the tons of garbage shipped to the Philippines six years ago.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin ordered the recall of Philippine diplomatic envoys to Canada after Canada missed the May 15 deadline for the recall of the trash.
President Duterte subsequently ordered government agencies to look for a private vessel that would transport the trash back to Canada, with the cost of shipment to be shouldered by the Philippine government.
Late May, Canada recalled at least 1000 tons of garbage from the Philippines, and shouldered all shipment costs.
The DFA subsequently ordered the Philippines’ envoys back to Canada, in an apparent normalization of Philippine-Canadian relations.