Lawmakers condemn landing of China bomber in South China Sea

Lawmakers on Sunday condemned China's deployment of H-6K bomber plane in the South China Sea, calling on the government to act and assert sovereignty in the contested region.

"It is crystal clear that China is strengthening its militarization of the South China Sea, having deployed an H-6K bomber aircraft after setting up a missiles system just last month," Magdalo party-list Representative Gary Alejano said in a statement.

"I condemn the recent actions of China as this further erodes peace and stability in the region," he said.

On Friday, China's Air Force announced that it landed a bomber on its largest base in the South China Sea for the first time, which is located on Woody Island in the Paracel group in the Spratlys.

This development, Alejano said, is already a "clear and present danger."

"Hanggang kailan mananahimik ang administrasyong Duterte sa usaping ito? Liban na lamang kung talagang nagpagapi na ito sa China at naibenta na ang ating mga teritoryo kapalit ng mga loans na may panganib din na maglubog sa atin sa utang," he said.

Alejano pointed out that the issue of China's militarization in the South China Sea is already a global concern, yet the Philippines is merely dismissing the installation of weapons there.

"With the silence and subservience of the Philippine government to China, we are placing in grave danger not only our country, but also our neighboring nations," he said.

"It is a shame and utter disappointment that we have a President who only thinks of protecting his reins to power, instead of protecting his people," he added.

For her part, Gabriela Women's Party Representative Arlene Brosas said the development only fuels the tension in the disputed area, as it brings women closer to military aggression.

“Filipino women and children are being dragged closer to the cusp of military exhibitionism that could turn awry, especially in view of the ongoing US-led Balikatan exercises and with President Duterte welcoming any military intervention on our land. Sa huli, ang mga kababaihan at mamamayang Pilipino ang maiipit dito,” she said.

“With the Filipino people under striking capability of this nuclear bomber, China can easily hostage us to its geo-political interests while our President continues to indulge in his macho-fascist bravado. Nakakagalit na bastos at hindi mapakali ang Pangulo sa mga palabang kababaihan pero takot naman sa Tsina at Amerika,” she added.

In the Senate, both Minority Leader Franklin Drilon and Senator JV Ejercito slammed China's move to deploy bomber planes.

"I condemn that continuous violation of the arbitration award of the International [Criminal Court], the very aggressive issue or stance. Ingatan natin ito dahilan sa huwag nating kalimutan, pwedeng pakialaman ang ating sovereignty," Drilon said.

If the government does not take an aggressive stand on the issue, Drilon feared that China may even interfere with the upcoming elections in May 2019.

"Kung hindi natin pagbutihan ang ating kampanya dito, malapit na ang Halalan May 2019, the question at the back of people's minds ay baka pakialaman na ng Tsina ang ating halalan sa 2019 at the rate we are going. We must continue to assert our sovereignty over these parties," he said.

Ejercito, meanwhile, said that while he has supported President Rodrigo Duterte in claiming that China is a friend of the Philippines, he is not in favor of deploying bomber planes in areas in South China Sea.

"Sa akin, we have to protect our territorial integrity at all costs, fight for our sovereignty. Hindi tayo superpower, hindi natin sila kaya in terms of military strength but somehow we just have to stand up through diplomatic protest or whatever means," he said. —LBG, GMA News