Lacson files reso condemning China's hostile acts in West Philippine Sea

A proposed Senate resolution condemning China’s continued presence and “hostile acts” within the Philippine exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the West Philippine Sea has been filed in the upper chamber.

Senate Resolution 954, filed by Senator Panfilo Lacson, noted the November 16 incident where the Chinese Coast Guard vessels blocked and water cannoned two Filipino supply boats while en route to Ayungin Shoal, which is well within the Philippines' 200-nautical-mile EEZ.

Apart from the Ayungin Shoal incident, Lacson -- who visited Pag-asa Island over the weekend being the chairman of the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security -- mentioned his firsthand experience of China’s threat.

According to the senator,  Chinese authorities issued a radio challenge to the pilots of the plane he was on.

Further, he said that upon arrival on Pag-asa Island, they received text messages indicating “Welcome to China!”

Pag-asa Island is a municipality in Palawan by virtue of Presidential Decree 1596 dated June 11, 1978, but the senator found the islet being surrounded by Chinese maritime vessels despite the Philippines' several diplomatic protests.

Also, the resolution highlighted that China seized the Panganiban (Mischief) Reef in 1995, and transformed it into a 550-hectare air and naval outpost that can deploy military assets and conduct surveillance over the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

In 2012, China dismissed the agreement brokered by the United States to end the standoff in Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal by not withdrawing from the area, and instead constructing chain barriers to prevent access by the Philippines.

Moreso, China continuously refused to honor the Philippines' arbitral victory in 2016.

Citing these experiences, the senator urged the Philippine government to amplify its position in the WPS and craft a comprehensive Development Plan to send a strong message that Philippines owns the Pag-asa Island and other territories claimed by China.

"Be it resolved, as it is hereby resolved by the Senate, to condemn the continued presence and hostile acts of Chinese Maritime Vessels within our EEZ and urge the government to fortify, amplify and enhance our positions in the West Philippine Sea thru defense and security agreements with other nations, and by consistently invoking and protecting our internationally recognized rights through continuing diplomatic dialogue with nations of mutual/common interests in the West Philippine Sea," part of the resolution reads.

"Resolved further, that in pursuit of sending a stronger message of assertion that Pag-Asa Island is ours, a comprehensive Development Plan must be crafted laying-out concrete projects, programs and activities aimed at improving the quality of life and efficient delivery of public services therein," it added.

Lacson warned that if the continuing acts of the Chinese maritime vessels in the WPS is left “unchecked and unchallenged,” they may "constitute clear and present danger not only to our national interest and territorial integrity but also to the peace and stability of the entire Asia Pacific Region."

“[C]onsidering the importance of the West Philippine Sea in ensuring freedom of navigation, unhampered international trade and commerce in the Asia Pacific Region and the vital role it plays in the security and safety of the region, there is a need to uphold a rules based maritime order in the area to maintain the balance of power and stability therein," the resolution continued.

President Rodrigo Duterte and several Philippine officials have condemned China’s latest aggression in Ayungin Shoal.

But China has, in turn, demanded that the Philippines remove the BRP Sierra Madre from the Ayungin Shoal a day after Filipino boats reached the grounded Navy ship to complete their resupply mission.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Thursday insisted that the Philippines has sovereign rights over Ayungin Shoal amid Beijing's call for Manila to remove its grounded vessel there.

He said the Philippines “can do whatever we want there and it is they (China) who are actually trespassing.”

The Philippine senators have also slammed China’s latest statement asking for the removal of BRP Sierra Madre from the disputed territory. —LBG, GMA News