President Ferdinand Marcos earlier said that he may seek an agreement with Japan and the United States to strengthen a tripartite alliance together with the Philippines. This was after a Chinese coast guard vessel aimed a military-grade laser at a Philippine Coast Guard ship. That temporarily blinded members of the Filipino crew and disrupted a resupply mission they were conducting. Despite the heightened geopolitical tensions with China, the Filipino leader said the Philippines will not relinquish any of its territories and will uphold its sovereignty.
