No one benefits from Filipinos arguing over the West Philippine Sea issue more than China.

According to the Philippine Navy spokesperson for WPS issues, this is part of a tactic used by China to pit Filipinos against each other to divert attention from who the real enemy is and what the real issue is.

"We have to understand what is the objective of the Chinese Communist Party. The objective of foreign malign influence and intervention is to divide Philippine society, to divide Philippine leaders, to cause us to debate among ourselves. And to forget that the bigger issue," said Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, Philippine Navy Spokesperson for the WPS.

While the public is busy arguing and the country's leaders are quarreling over territorial boundaries in the West Philippine Sea, the real issue is being obscured: China's illegal presence in the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone, the bullying of Philippine vessels and our fishermen, and the spreading of false narratives.

For Trinidad, this is only part of China's broader plan to turn Filipinos against each other.

"Para makalimutan natin ang totoong issue. Pag-away-awayin tayo. It's very important to understand how they think, how they operate para hindi po tayo maligaw sa totoong hinaharap natin na kalaban sa West Philippine Sea," Trinidad said. 

(So we forget the real issue. They're turning us against each other. It's very important to understand how they think, how they operate so we don't lose sight of the real enemy we're facing in the West Philippine Sea.)

The AFP also responded to a senator's statement suggesting the country should just give up the Kalayaan Group of Islands, claiming they are not within our EEZ.

According to Trinidad, while Pag-asa Island is beyond the country's EEZ, the Constitution clearly states these islands are considered a regime of islands.

The AFP added that these islands have their own territorial sea and are part of the territory of the Republic of the Philippines, making it part of the AFP's mandate to protect the Kalayaan Island Group and any part of the country.

"Pag-asa group of islands, Pag-asa Island or the Kalayaan Island Group is beyond the EEZ. But it's very clear in the constitution, these islands are treated as a regime of islands. They are high tide elevations. They generate a territorial sea. Kasama po sa territoryo ng Republika ng Pilipinas. Likewise, kasama rin po dyan yung ating presidential decree 1596 that established the municipality of Kalayaan. It is a local government unit," Trinidad said. 

(They are part of the territory of the Republic of the Philippines. Likewise, that also includes our presidential decree 1596 that established the municipality of Kalayaan.)

The Armed Forces of the Philippines emphasized that the military's mandate to defend the country's territory is clear and unchanging, regardless of events in the country.

The morale of soldiers is also not affected by political issues, as they have sufficient resolve and a clear mission—to secure and defend Philippine territory.

"It is a mandate to protect national sovereignty, to ensure the integrity of the national territory all the way up to our 200 nautical mile EEZ and the regime of islands covering KIG, which is beyond our EEZ and to look after the wealth of the Filipino people. Ito ay maliwanag sa bawat nyembro ng ating sandatahang lakas. We have been formed this mandate for many years. 

We have proven it time and again without fanfare, without questions asked. Our patriots, our comrades have laid down the ultimate sacrifice and this is the mandate that we have sworn to protect, to perform, we will keep performing it," Trinidad said. (This is clear to every member of our armed forces.)

The Philippine Navy added that they also support the Philippine Coast Guard's call encouraging government officials to visit the Kalayaan Island Group to see the situation in the area.

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