SUMMARY
In the aftermath of the recent sea skirmish at Ayungin Shoal, both President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro issued strongly worded statements during the Holy Week. This was capped by a policy pronouncement from the office of Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on Easter Sunday morning.
President Marcos issued instructions based on his consultations with his national security advisors; mentioned his discussions with like-minded partners in the international community; and assured the public that in the following weeks the national government will develop a ‘proportionate, deliberate, and reasonable response to the ‘illegal, coercive, aggressive, and dangerous (ICAD) actions being undertaken by the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) and its partner, the mariti…