Duterte must break his silence over China's alleged harassment in West Philippine Sea, says Zarate

Bayan Muna party-list Representative Carlos Isagani Zarate on Wednesday said filing diplomatic protests against China's alleged harassment in the West Philippine Sea may no longer be enough.

In a press statement, Zarate said China does not accept accountability and that it "practically thrown to the garbage" the previous diplomatic protests lodged by the Philippine government as it continues its incursion in the resource-rich region.

"Filing of diplomatic protests or demarche or even summoning China's ambassador to explain its continued incursions and occupation of maritime features in the West Philippine Sea may no longer be enough," Zarate said.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has filed anew two diplomatic protests after the government found over 200 Chinese militia vessels lingering at the  WPS.

"Unless President (Rodrigo) Duterte breaks his silence and denounces what China is doing, the diplomatic protests filed by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) will just continuously fall on China's deaf ears," Zarate added.

He claimed that diplomatic protests only serve as a record of the Philippine government's position on the Chinese activities in the West Philippine Sea.

He said the Duterte administration should prioritize and advance the country's sovereign rights over the region.

"It is high time that the government now  pursue a truly independent foreign policy that is equidistant from the competing imperialist interests of China and western powers led by the US," he said.

GMA News Online sought Malacanang's comment on Zarate's remark but the former has yet to respond.

Negros Oriental Representative Manuel Sagarbarria, chairperson of the House special committee on West Philippine Sea, said the presence of the Chinese vessels is a "clear encroachment" of the Philippine territory.

Sagarbarria, for his part, supports the filing of diplomatic protests against China as it is based on "fact and law."

"Such incursion by the Chinese vessels not only is contrary to the decision of the international tribunal but also a grave violation of and clear encroachment of our exclusive economic zone territorial rights," Sagarbarria said in a message.

Muntinlupa Representative Ruffy Biazon, vice chairman of the committee on national defense and security, said the DFA should just continue the filing of diplomatic protests each time there is a discovery of Chinese activities or intrusions in the West Philippine Sea.

Earlier today, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. directed the filing of a diplomatic protest on the swarming of Chinese vessels in the region.

The National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea has said six vessels of the Chinese navy, including at least three warships, have been spotted in the West Philippine Sea by Philippine sovereignty patrols.

These were on top of the estimated 240 Chinese militia vessels scattered in the territorial waters off Kalayaan in Palawan and in the Philippines exclusive economic zone, according to the task force.

Earlier, the DFA summoned the Chinese envoy to Manila to protest the continuing presence of Chinese boats at the Julian Felipe Reef, located approximately 175 nautical miles west of Bataraza, Palawan.

Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian was called to the DFA on Monday by acting Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Elizabeth Buensuceso.

Buensuceso told the Chinese official that the said reef is within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea or UNCLOS.

Buensuceso also stressed to Huang the 2016 ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in favor of the Philippines and invalidating China’s massive and historical claim over nearly the entire South China Sea.—AOL, GMA News