NEWS | Multi-sectoral groups echo “US-Tsina layas!” over territorial incursions at West Philippine Sea
By Angela Vanessa Manuel
For over a month, hundreds of Chinese vessels were seen occupying specific maritime features in the West Philippine Sea, which is within the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ). In an online press conference held on April 7, spearheaded by the Atin Ang Pilipinas Coalition, multi-sectoral groups condemned the recent invasions which they dubbed as territorial incursions, while demanding the Duterte administration to lay out concrete plans and actions to protect the country’s sovereignty.
Abandon PH seas
On March 20, The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea informed the public that around 200 Chinese maritime militia vessels were occupying the Julian Felipe Reef in the West Philippine Sea. In addition, a few hundred more were scattered around other reefs. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has since then filed a diplomatic protest with Beijing and demanded the withdrawal of the said vessels.
Despite the protest, Chinese vessels were still spotted in the same areas last week. According to the Chinese Embassy, the vessels seen were just fishing boats that had taken shelter at the reef due to bad weather.
However, fisherfolks, along with Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, responded that they were not fools to believe the Embassy’s statement. Instead, they were keen to remove the Chinese presence in the West Philippine Sea. Lorenzana then reminded China to refrain from conducting activities that disturb regional and international peace and security.
“Panawagan ng PAMALAKAYA, US-Tsina layas. Amin ang Pinas. Tayo ay magsalita. Ang mismong embahada ng Tsina rito, palayasin natin! Totoo, wala tayong malakas na armas. Totoong hindi natin kayang makipagsabayan sa laki ng Tsina. Pero totoo rin na ang Pilipino ay handang mamatay, handang ipaglaban ang kaniyang kalayaan, ang kanyang soberanya!” explained Tata Pido Gonzales, Vice Chairperson emeritus of Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA)
This week, the Armed Forces reported that they once again spotted illegal man-made structures in Pagkakaisa Banks. Due to this, the government increased the deployment of Navy, Coast Guard, and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources vessels in the area to patrol and assert the country’s sovereignty.
Uphold international law
In 2016, the United Nations-backed (UN) international arbitral tribunal ruled to uphold the Philippines’ sovereign rights over the waterway, invalidating Beijing’s South China Sea claims. It also ruled that China’s island-building activities on several reefs in the Kalayaan Island Group violated the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which caused devastating and long-lasting damage to the marine environment.
However, China firmly and continuously rejects the ruling.
In relation to this, Anj Tadena from For Our Farmers PH said that China’s degradation of the Philippines sovereignty is alarming, noting that this intrusion will have a negative effect on the country’s agri-fishery sector and on the entire food security.
“We are joining this call not only to petition for the 220 Chinese vessels in the Julian Felipe Reef to leave the area but also to protect our very own fisherfolks. They should feel secure in our very own waters. The government owes them that,” Tadena asserted. “The Philippines is not for sale. We are not for sale. Hindi po tayo mananahimik kung ang sariling nating bansa ang nakataya.“
It can be remembered that presidential spokesperson Harry Roque previously downplayed the issue by honoring the Chinese embassy’s statement and stating that there was really no controversy with having 220 of China’s fishing vessels.
Vaccines and sovereignty
On April 4, Surigao del Sur Representative Robert Ace Barbers emphasized that Philippine territory was neither for sale nor trade. He furthered that any portion of the Philippines’ territory is not an exchange and certainly not equivalent to China’s donation of COVID-19 vaccines
Earlier this year, China donated about one million shots of the CoronaVac, which was developed by the Chinese pharmaceutical company Sinovac Biotech.
To the public’s surprise, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo echoed the same sentiment stating that the palace’s acceptance of China’s donation of COVID-19 vaccines does not equate to giving up the country’s sovereignty.
Furthermore, Vice President Leni Robredo commended the aggressive statements and the immediate filing of a diplomatic protest over the unfolding of events in the Philippine territory.
“Our sovereignty is so important. It should not be exchanged for any consideration because it’s not only for us who are here now but for the next generations after us. So it’s important how the leadership would act. It’s important how it would show us that it would fight for us,” Robredo said.
The hidden agenda
During the conference, the groups were united in calling out President Rodrigo Duterte for his neglect of the issue and complacency in dealing with China. The groups stood firm in saying that what the country needs right now are concrete plans and not mere words from the Chief Executive.
“Hindi ko alam kay Duterte, sa kabila ng pagsabi niya na matapang siya. Kapag ikaw ay militante at kritiko ng gobyerno, ang sabi niya ay ‘patayin.’ Pero itong mga lumalabag, sumasakop, yumuyurak sa ating soberanya ay parang natikom rito ang bibig ni Duterte. Bakit ba bahag ang buntot niya rito?” Gonzales asked.
Meanwhile, Jerwin Baure from, Chairperson of AGHAM UP Diliman, said that the Chinese Embassy’s act of belittling the country’s lawful right over the West Philippine Sea is unacceptable. He then challenged Duterte to demand the Chinese ambassador to apologize for the incident or if not, let them be expelled from the country.
Subsequently, Student Christian Movement of the Philippines (SCMP) National Spokesperson Kej Andres spoke about the underlying reason over Duterte’s aggressive attacks towards the masses.
“Nakikita natin na ano ba ang mas matinding batayan kung bakit may redtagging, may Terror Law, at kung bakit may pasismo. Matagal nang pinangagambahan ng mga human rights advocates na ang pagyurakan ni Duterte sa human rights sa Pinas ay upang mapadali ang pagpasok ng impra-istruktura, ng investment, at pagpapa-utang ng Tsina at US na lalong sasakal sa soberanya at kinabukasan ng sambayanang Pilipino.”
International groups from neighboring countries in Asia, such as the Asian Democracy Network, Feminist’s Liberation Thailand, and Alliance Canada Hong Kong, also pledged their support to the FIlipinos in opposing the totalitarian regime
In the end, they echoed that neither the Philippines nor the Filipinos are for sale.
