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Gov't urged to ‘walk the talk’ on China vessel presence in West Philippine Sea


An alumni organization of the University of the Philippines' Reserve Officers' Training Corps called on the government to “walk the talk” on the presence of Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea.

In a statement on Monday, the UP Vanguard said the Philippines should not only make statements in defense of its sovereign rights but should also hold China accountable.

“We, therefore, call on the government to continue its resolve and walk the talk. We cannot just make noise,” the UP Vanguard said.

“Rather, we must make China accountable and exhaust all peaceful means available to ensure that the 2012 PCA decision in our favor is respected and enforced.”

The UP Vanguard also expressed its support for the positions of Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. in which they called on the Chinese vessels to leave Philippine waters.

The Vanguard also called on the international community to transform its support for the Philippines into concrete actions, given that protecting Philippine territory from China would also guarantee freedom of navigation for the international community.

“We renew our call for our legislators and leaders to pass the proposed Civil Service Act which not only will prepare our country for any external risk that it may face, but also builds a framework for nation-building,” the group said.

On March 7, around 220 vessels were spotted near the Julian Felipe Reef, located 320 kilometers (200 miles) west of Palawan and part of the country's exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Based on the latest report of the National Task Force WPS, 240 Chinese militia vessels were scattered in Philippine territorial waters off Kalayaan in Palawan and are within the Philippines' EEZ. Aside from these, six vessels of the Chinese navy, including at least three warships, have been spotted in the West Philippine Sea.

Lorenzana had demanded for the immediate removal of the Chinese vessels from the Julian Felipe Reef.

The Chinese Embassy claimed that the vessels were only “seeking shelter” near the reef, which they claimed was part of China’s Nansha Islands or Spratlys in the South China Sea.

The Philippines filed diplomatic protests over the presence of Chinese vessels. — DVM, GMA News

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