UNDERSTANDABLY, the authorities remain upset over the laser-pointing incident that happened in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) weeks ago. Some argue that shining a military-grade laser at a Philippine ship was an armed aggression by the Chinese coast guard. As a result, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported that some of the Filipino crew suffered temporary blindness. Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. even said that the acts were 'offensive and unsafe.'

Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed. No country wants war in the WPS, the local name for the South China Sea. That seems true about China, as well, despite its claims on some Philippine territories.