MANILA (UPDATED) — A Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) official on Thursday slammed Filipinos defending China amid fresh tensions between Manila and Beijing over a confrontation in the West Philippine Sea last weekend, calling them "unpatriotic" and "traitors."

"If you are a Filipino, whether in government or private sector, regardless of your politics, defending and making excuses for China's aggressive behavior should deem you unpatriotic, and a traitor to the Philippines and to our people," said Cmdr. Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesperson on the West Philippine Sea.

"Given current developments in the West Philippine Sea, it is important to show loyalty to country," he said in a tweet.

Tarriela also said that while Filipinos have the constitutional right to freely voice their opinions on the issue, their freedom of speech should not be misused to act as Beijing's mouthpiece.

"All Filipinos should unite in calling out China's aggressive and unlawful actions in the West Philippine Sea. Together, we should stand united in protecting our nation's interests and pursuing a peaceful resolution to the issues," he added, but did not disclose specific individuals whom he was referring to.

"Dahil sa West Philippine Sea ang yaman nito ay para sa Pilipino," Tarriela also asserted.

(The riches of the West Philippine Sea are for Filipinos.)

The Second Thomas Shoal, which Manila calls the Ayungin Shoal, has become the flashpoint of a new word war between the Philippines and China, after PCG accused the Chinese Coast Guard of blocking and blasting water cannons at its boats attempting to resupply Filipino troops garrisoned in the hotly contested area.

• Philippines slams China's use of water cannons at PCG boats in Ayungin Shoal

Despite calls from Beijing for Manila to remove its outpost in the shoal—the dilapidated, World War II-era warship BRP Sierra Madre—Philippine officials maintained that they would not give in to China's demands, as Ayungin was well within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) under international law.

"We will never abandon Ayungin Shoal. We are committed to Ayungin Shoal," National Security Council assistant director general Jonathan Malaya earlier said in a press conference Monday.

• China demands Philippines remove grounded ship from disputed waters
• Philippines rejects China claim, says Ayungin garrison 'legitimate'

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. himself said that there was no agreement between Manila and Beijing to remove the BRP Sierra Madre.

"I’m not aware of any such arrangement or agreement that the Philippines will remove from its own territory its ship... And let me go further, if there does exist such an agreement, I rescind that agreement now," Marcos said.

RELATED VIDEO:

Watch more News on iWantTFC

Atty. Salvador Panelo, a spokesperson of former president Rodrigo Duterte, said that even if such an agreement existed, the Philippines was not bound by it since Manila won an arbitral ruling that invalidated China's so-called 9-dash line in the whole of South China Sea.

"Ipagpalagay natin na meron nga, hindi ibig sabihin susundin namin ang commitment na 'yun... The circumstances have changed, hindi na po puwede because meron nang arbitral ruling," he said.

(Let's assume that this agreement exists, that does not mean we will uphold that commitment. We cannot do so because there is already an arbitral ruling.)

'OUTRAGED'

Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, meanwhile, said he was "outraged" over the recent spat between Manila and Beijing.

However, he said that while the confrontation could generate high emotions, the outrage must be translated "into sustainable, well-thought-of, and methodical responses."

He also said that he felt insulted over China's alleged attempts to change the narrative and paint the Philippines as a lackey of the United States, which he attributed to Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) between the two countries.

• Philippines names 4 sites for US military use

"Kapag ang Tsina nag-iisip... na inihahambing tayo sa tuta ng Amerikano, ako [ay] naiinsulto. May sarili akong utak; may sariling utak ang Pilipino at lalong lalayo ang Pilipino sa kanila," Teodoro said at the sidelines of a reforestation project launch in Capas, Tarlac.

(When China describes us as kowtowing to the Americans, I feel insulted. I have a mind of my own. The Filipinos have minds of their own and they may distance themselves further from China over this.)

—With a report from Raya Capulong, ABS-CBN News

Watch more News on iWantTFC