At least three senators on Thursday slammed the Chinese Coast Guard for blocking and firing water cannons at two Philippine boats that were on a resupply mission on Tuesday to Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.
China claims almost all of the South China Sea, a portion of which Manila refers to as the West Philippine Sea.
“This is an outright and unacceptable violation of our sovereign rights and jurisdiction. Matagal na akong galit sa lantarang pagbastos ng Tsina sa ating karapatan at karagatan (I have long been enraged by the sheer disrespect of China towards our sovereign rights and seas),” Senator Risa Hontiveros said in a statement.
Hontiveros shared Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr.’s “outrage” and supported the filing of a protest with China.
“It is only right that China and her representatives know that we will not keep mum,” she said.
She also called on Malacañang to condemn the incident and show the military that the government will always defend them.
“Handa nila tayong depensahan, ipakita naman natin na hindi rin natin sila iiwan,” she said.
(They are ready to defend us, let us show them that we will not abandon them.)
Reacting to the incident, acting presidential spokesperson Karlo Nograles said the Philippines “will continue to assert our sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction over our territory.”
Senator Francis Tolentino also backed the statement of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) condemning China’s actions.
“Bullying tactics have no place under international law. While engaging the international community is imperative, it is also appropriate that we likewise beef up our ‘sanctuaries’ in the area to help our fisherfolk not just during natural calamities but also in non-friendly instances such as this latest incident,” Tolentino said in a text message.
Senator Francis Pangilinan, meanwhile, highlighted the importance of the May 2022 elections in changing the situation in the West Philippine Sea.
“Hindi tayo payag na sakupin ang mga isla natin, o bastusin ang mga sundalo natin (We should not let them occupy our islands or disrespect our soldiers.)…We recognize that we, like the rest of the world, cannot even wear our underpants without China. And the 2022 election will determine what happens to our country,” Pangilinan, a vice presidential aspirant, said. — VBL, GMA News
Senators condemn Chinese Coast Guard s blocking of Philippine boats headed to Ayungin Shoal
Source: Pinoy Hub News
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