The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) will meet with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to discuss "future tactics" against China's activity in the West Philippine Sea following the recent collision of Chinese vessels in Scarborough Shoal or Bajo De Masinloc on Monday.

"We will have a conference in our rank in the AFP together with the PCG and of course we will also ask for the guidance of our president," Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. told reporters in Camp Crame on Tuesday.

"Now that their Navy are there, it's a different story. So we will discuss what are the steps we can do and our future tactics to contradict the activities of China which preventing us from getting near the Bajo de Masinloc," he said.

Last Monday, a People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessel and a China Coast Guard ship were damaged after its collided with each other while chasing a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel sent to distribute relief assistance to Filipino fishermen at the Scarborough Shoal.

Brawner said based on the assessment of the military and Coast Guard, the Chinese military vessel aimed ram the PCG ship.

"I don't how the China will use this (incident) in their narratives against us because what happened was their fault. It's due to their aggressive maneuver. We were just there because we are protecting the Filipino fishermen," he said.

"The aggressive tactic of China was very obvious during the incident. Our assessment is that the objective of the PLA Navy ship is to ram the PCG (vessel) that is also the assessment of the our PCG, fortunately our PCG speed up and was able to avoid the PLA Navy and the Chinese Coast Guard which caused the collision of the two vessels," he added.

In a press briefing in Camp Aguinaldo, Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, Philippine Navy spokesman for the West Philippine Sea, this incident may continue to happen if China will not stop their illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive activities in the West Philippine Sea.

"We do not look at this as a singular incident like what happened yesterday. From the onset the illegal presence of the PLA Navy, their coercive and aggressive actions and the deceptive messaging have been the cause of concern," he said.

"So long as they will maintain their illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive activities and presence, incidents like this may happen again in the future," he added.

However, Trinidad assured that despite the aggression of China, "the AFP thrives on plans".

"We plan, we prepare, we don't anticipate. Whatever situation arises, your AFP could respond appropriately," he said. Robina Asido/DMS