(Eagle News)–The Philippine Coast Guard said it “fully respects” Foreign Affairs Secretary Teddy Locsin’s rejection of the proposal for a PCG attaché in the Philippine embassy in Beijing.
According to the PCG, while it believes that the establishment of such a post “will significantly strengthen maritime cooperation between the Philippines and China,” the agency will instead “continue to find ways to further secure the country’s maritime domain.”
According to the PCG, the request for a PCG attaché who shall directly coordinate and facilitate future bilateral and multilateral engagements with China in relation to the establishment of a Joint Coast Guard Committee, specifically in the fields of maritime search and rescue, maritime law enforcement, maritime security, maritime safety, and marine environmental protection was approved during the time of former Coast Guard Commandant, Admiral Elson Hermogino and recommended by Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade to the Foreign Affairs secretary on October 29.
The PCG said the JCGC was based on a memorandum of understanding between the PCG and the China Coast Guard for the strengthening of mutual trust between the two countries.
“Said purpose is also the foundation behind the recommendation to establish Coast Guard attaché posts in Malaysia and Indonesia because of the PCG’s active and relevant engagements with the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) and the Indonesian Maritime Security Agency (BAKAMLA), subject to the approval of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA),” the PCG said.
In rejecting the proposal on Tuesday, Aug. 25, Locsin said the PCG already had a defense attaché.
He said “a separate Coast Guard attaché means we concede exclusive sovereignty over our coastal waters so they are now subject to discussion instead of automatic protest.”