Philippine troops to repel attacks in South China Sea: military chief

Philippine troops will defend themselves if attacked in sovereign waters in the South China Sea, the country's military chief said Thursday, following a skirmish with the Chinese Coast Guard last month in which a soldier lost a finger."We will apply the same level of force that would allow us to defend ourselves. For instance, if they use knife, we will also use a knife," Gen. Romeo Brawner said in a news briefing held following a meeting with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.On June 17, Chinese coast guard personnel rammed and punctured several Philippine inflatable boats to prevent the sailo…READ FULL ARTICLE