President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. visits the 80 uniformed personnel who conducted the Philippine rotation and resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal, including Seaman First Class Jeffrey Facundo of the Philippine Navy, who lost his right thumb during a maritime clash with China last June 17 at the Western Command in Puerto Princesa, Palawan, on Sunday, June 23, 2024. Kj Rosales, PPA pool

MANILA — Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin's toned-down rhetoric on the recent clash between Philippine troops and Chinese navy personnel near Ayungin Shoal could be used by Beijing against Manila, defense analyst and military historian Jose Antonio Custodio said Monday.

Filipino troops were on their way to the BRP Sierra Madre to deliver supplies for troops stationed there when the confrontation happened, which left at least eight Filipinos injured with one having his finger cut off, as Chinese sailors rammed and boarded the Philippine Navy boats while waving knives and even an axe.

READ: Knives, looting, severed thumb: Philippines details fresh confrontation with China in Ayungin

Bersamin, who also chairs the National Maritime Council, last week said the Ayungin incident could probably be a "misunderstanding" or an "accident."

'DAMAGING' COMMENT

"There is so much damage to that because remember ang tingin ng Chinese sa atin duwag. 'Yan ang tingin nila sa Pilipino," Custodio said, referring to Bersamin's statement.

(There is so much damage to that because, remember, the Chinese already regard us a s cowards.)

He said the statement "telegraphs" that the Philippines is afraid.

"Do not explain for the Chinese. 'Yung messaging dapat 'Despite China’s provocations, we remain steadfast in defending our country'," he told TeleRadyo Serbisyo.

READ: Recent Ayungin Shoal encounter a 'misunderstanding, accident', says maritime council

He said the Ayungin attack was Beijing's attempt to assess Manila's reaction to see if the government would push back or not.

He warned that China could use Bersamin's remark as a gauge of Manila's resolve and "make an attempt" on the BRP Sierra Madre, the Philippines military post on Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, which has become a flashpoint between the two nations.

"Gusto kasi ng China makita na gumawa tayo ng mistake (China wants to see us make a mistake), which will make them use more force in the next operations nila," he said.

Custodio also said he believes the Ayungin incident was an armed attack but does not justify the activation of Manila's Mutual Defense Treaty with Washington.

READ: China's latest aggression vs PH not considered armed attack; invocation of pact with US 'not considered'

Carpio: PH SHOULD GO ON LEGAL OFFENSIVE VS CHINA 

Former Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio on Monday said that he agrees with the government's assessment that what happened was not an armed attack since no firearms were involved.

"But I do not agree that it was an accident or it was a misunderstanding," he said, pointing out that China had planned the operation to block the Philippines' resupply mission.

Carpio also reiterated his call for the Philippine government to file a case before the International Court of Justice against China over the "entire territorial dispute" in the South China Sea.

The Philippines in 2016 won against China before an international court in The Hague, which invalidated Beijing's 9-dash line that claimed almost the entire South China Sea.

China however continues to disregard the ruling.

Carpio told ANC that the country should go "on the offensive" against China in a legal way, saying the legal route is Manila's best bet when dealing with Beijing.

Carpio has also previously called on the Philippines to file a case against China over its alleged maritime destruction in the West Philippine Sea.

Following the 2012 Scarborough Shoal standoff between Manila and Beijing, Carpio said they have concluded that the Philippines has "no other recourse" but to fight China in a court of law.

"[W]e cannot use force because if we use force we will lose, we will lose if we fight China in the sea... Warplanes, warships, and missiles do not count," he said.

READ: Carpio urges gov't: File case vs China over marine destruction in Escoda Shoal