Senators after latest WPS incident: We will not be cowed

At least three senators on Monday maintained that they will continue defending Philippine sovereignty following the recent dangerous maneuvers of a Chinese vessel against a Philippine ship at Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough (Panatag) Shoal.

Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, chairperson of the Senate committee on national defense and security, peace, unification and reconciliation, condemned the incident, calling on the Chinese Coast Guard to cease and desist from engaging in such acts against the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and other Philippine maritime vessels. 

“These tactics not only endanger our maritime personnel and fisherfolk—they also escalate tensions unnecessarily. Nothing good will come of such actions, except the empty display of logistical superiority,” Estrada said in a statement.

Earlier in the day, the PCG said a Chinese vessel fired a water cannon at a Philippine vessel during a mission to aid Filipino fishermen in Bajo de Masinloc in the West Philippine Sea on Monday morning.

Aside from water cannoning, Chinese vessels also conducted hazardous maneuvers and blocking actions against Philippine vessels that led to a collision between China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel 3104 and People's Liberation Army Navy (PLA Navy) ship 164.

Estrada called the incident a “classic case of reaping what one sows.”

“Nonetheless, we will not be cowed. We will continue to defend our sovereignty, protect our people, and uphold the rule of law,” he added. 

Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva said that the incident “only shows the peril our troops face in asserting our rightful jurisdiction on our waters.”

“We reiterate to the Chinese Coast Guard and fishing militia: Your continued presence and operation at the West Philippine Sea is illegal and unauthorized. The West Philippine Sea is ours. Get out of Philippine waters!” Villanueva said. 

Senator Risa Hontiveros, for her part, expressed hope that China would take the incident as a lesson, saying that the collision between their two vessels proves that “Beijing’s own actions are reckless, and endanger their own people.”

“Kahit ano pang panghaharass ng China, hinding-hindi nila maiaalis ang katotohanan na atin ang West Philippine Sea,” the lady senator said.

(Despite these harassments by China, they would never take away the fact that the West Philippine Sea is ours.) 

Hontiveros also called on the government to support the Filipino fishermen to the “fullest extent possible" and allow them continued access to their traditional fishing areas in the Bajo de Masinloc. 

“It is also crucial that we maintain a year-round maritime law enforcement presence to safeguard our fisherfolk,” she added. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News