Marcos rejects water cannons on Philippine vessels

Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr giving a media interview at the Philippine International Convention Center on May 6, 2024. Photo from Jean Mangaluz

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday thumbed down proposals to put water cannons on Philippine vessels patrolling the West Philippine Sea.

In an ambush interview in Pasay City about his reaction to such plans, Marcos said “no.”

READ: China water cannons 2 PH vessels in Scarborough Shoal anew

“What we are doing is defending our sovereign rights and our sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea, and we have no intention of attacking anyone with water cannons or any other such offensive. I mean, you have to call them weapon kasi nakaka-damage na (because it is causing damage already),” said Marcos.

“No. That is not something that’s in the plan. The last thing we would like is to raise [tensions] in the West Philippine Sea. That’s the last thing,” added the President.

Marcos said the Philippines will not follow in the Chinese Coast Guard’s (CCG) footsteps.

READ: PCG: China used water cannons that could kill

“We will not follow the Chinese Coast Guard and the Chinese vessels down that road because it [is] simply not the mission of our Navy, our Coast Guard, to start [or] increase tensions,” said Marcos.

In May, the CCG blasted Philippine vessels anew with water cannons.

Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, Commodore Jay Tarriela, said this incident used “very fatal” water cannon pressure. However, he maintained no reason to use water cannons in return.