Exercise restraint while near PH waters, foreign warships urged

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 11, 2019): Exercise restraint while near PH waters, foreign warships urged

The Department of National Defense (DND) on Monday appealed to the nations, whose warships pass through the West Philippine Sea and waters near the country, to exercise restraint as any imprudent behavior could lead to an international incident or conflict.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana made the appeal following the two incidents between US, China and Russian warships in the South China Sea and Philippine Sea last October and earlier in June, respectively.

In the two incidents, warships of these nations got too close and nearly collided with each other.

Lorenzana said miscalculations between the captains of these warships might spark conflict in the region.

"So (to the nations those vessels are passing through these waters), tell their captains not to get to close to each other as there could be a miscalculation," the DND chief said.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1072005