Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. called the China Coast Guard "irresponsible" following its recent harassment against the Philippine vessels transporting supplies to BRP Sierra Madre at Ayungin Shoal.

"We will continue to resupply BRP Sierra Madre, and of course the Philippine Coast Guard vessels were once again dangerously harassed. This is to me irresponsible behavior on the part of the Chinese Coast Guard and I think that the world knows who is in the right here so it doesn't need much more saying, or talking about," Teodoro said in an interview in Manila on Monday.

"Our (Coast Guard) are just providing escort for our RoRe (rotation and resupply) vessels. They (China Coast Guard) are the ones who conduct dangerous maneuvers, so who is irresponsible here, for me the answer is obvious," he added.

Because of the continued harassment of China Coast Guard to the Philippine resupply vessels, Teodoro stressed the need to upgrade the Philippine Coast Guard and the Philippine Navy.

"We need to upgrade our Coast Guard and Philippine Navy at the same time, to give attention to our maritime security capabilities and of course we are protecting our fishing vessels and fishermen, they also need the capabilities to protect Filipino vessels, maritime safety and security," he said.

In a statement, the National Security Council (NSC) confirmed China's harassment in another successful resupply mission of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine Coast Guard at the Ayungin Shoal on Friday.

"The (West Philippine Sea) Task Force is also informed that the harassment, dangerous maneuvers, and aggressive conduct of the vessels of the China Coast Guard (CCG) and Chinese Maritime Militia (CMM) against our public vessels took place again during the conduct of routine and regular operations well within our nation's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)," said NSC.

The NCS noted that the "Task Force strongly deplores and condemns the continued illegal, aggressive, and destabilizing conduct of the China Coast Guard and the China Maritime Militia within our nation's EEZ." Robina Asido/DMS