Padilla, Dela Rosa question US help in West Philippine Sea: Hindi ba natin kaya?

Padilla was asking if it was appropriate for an American Navy plane to be present in the West Philippine Sea, the source of conflict between the Philippines and China, when it was the PCG and the CCG going head to head.

What Padilla got wrong – and seemingly refused to believe – was that China’s structure was different. The CCG, since 2018, has been under China’s Central Military Commission. It used to be under Beijing’s State Oceanic Administration.

“‘Wag natin ibahin ang international law… ang coast guard ay civilian in nature, police nga yan eh… sinasabi po ba natin na ang coast guard ng China ay hindi civilian in nature?” Padilla had asked just moments prior.

Maritime expert lawyer Jay Batongbacal would tell Padilla and the rest of the hearing that no such international law to define a coast guard exists. Senator Ronald dela Rosa, despite Batongbacal’s explanation, would later insist that it was a “universally accepted concept” that coast guards are civilian forces.