Sen. Robin Padilla on Tuesday questioned defense and Coast Guard officials for saying that the Chinese Coast Guard is not civilian in nature but operates under the Chinese military.

During Tuesday's joint Senate hearing, Defense Undersecretary Ignacio Madriaga explained the Chinese Coast Guard is under the Central Military Commission, the highest national defense organization in the People's Republic of China.

"Sa depinisyon ng PLA Navy, 'yung Coast Guard po is under po ng [People's Liberation Army] pati po 'yung Chinese militia vessels. So technically speaking, hindi po civilian 'yung nature ng Chinese Coast Guard na nandun," he said.

“Huwag natin ibahin ang international law. Ang Coast Guard ay civilian in nature. Pulis nga lang 'yan. Pulis ng karagatan," Padilla said.

"'Yung sa atin po 'yun," Madriaga said.

"Ang sinasabi po ba natin ang Chinese Coast Guard ay hindi civilian in nature?" Padilla asked. "Ang ibig niyong sabihin ang Coast Guard, iba ang depinisyon ng China?"

"Opo," Madriaga answered.

"Wow, ha. Talaga lang, ha," Padilla said.

Padilla also questioned why a US Navy plane was present in the West Philippine Sea when it is the Philippine Coast Guard going up against its Chinese counterpart during a recent resupply mission. "Wala ba tayong nava-violate dun?" he asked.

Padilla noted that under international law, coast guards are supposed to be civilian in nature.

Coast Guard chief Artemio Abu, however, said: "there is no exact and precise definition that the Coast Guard... is a civilian [force]. It depends on how the country, the administration attaches through legislation the coast guard of its particular country."

"So walang exact definition sa international law na tayo ay civilian."

For his part, Senator Ronald "Bato" dela Rosa said it is a "universally accepted concept" that the Coast Guard is not part of the military.

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