Any Filipino vessel that may be fired upon Chinese Coast Guard ships in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) will automatically trigger the Philippines’s defense agreement with the United States, Defense Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana said on Thursday. “[If] it is a vessel from Philippines, the Mutual Defense Treaty is activated,” the defense secretary told ANC, as he also revealed the preference by the defense and military establishment for the continuation of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), a separate security agreement with the US. Lorenzana and other top military officials have earlier raised concerns over the Chinese government’s authorization for its Coast Guard to fire at vessels even in maritime waters that it disputes, including in the West Philippine Sea, where Chinese military and paramilitary ships abound.

Acosta, R. (2021, February 12). Defense treaty with US takes effect at 1st shot against any Pinoy vessel in WPS, Lorenza says. Business Mirror, p. A3.