MANILA, Philippines – PINAG-AARALAN ngayon ng Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) ang diplomatic protest laban sa Tsina ukol sa Escoda Shoal incident, araw ng Lunes.
Ang hakbang ay alinsunod sa layunin ng bansa na isang ‘peaceful approach’ sa usapin, ayon kay Vice Admiral Alexander Lopez Jr., tagapagsalita ng National Maritime Council (NMC) sa press briefing sa Palasyo ng Malakanyang, araw ng Martes.
“One of those actions that we are considering, as you all know, in any activities naman in the past, our Department of Foreign Affairs would probably file a diplomatic protest or note verbale and this is seriously being studied by the Department of Foreign Affairs,” ayon kay Lopez.
Sa ulat, dalawang barko ng Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) ang nasira bunsod ng “unlawful and aggressive maneuvers” ng China malapit sa Escoda Shoal.
Ayon kay National Security Council Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya, patungo sa Patag at Lawak Islands ang BRP Cape Engeño bandang alas-3:24 ng madaling araw nang gumawa ng delikadong maniobra ang CCG vessel 3104.
Tinamaan ang starboard beam ng barko at nagkaroon ng butas.
Kasunod nito, bandang alas-3:40 ng madaling araw nang dalawang ulit na banggain ang port at starboard ng BRP Bagacay ng CCG vessel 21551 habang naglalayag sa layong 21.3 nautical miles southeast ng Escoda Shoal.
Gayunpaman, sinabi ni Malaya na mananatili lamang sa kanilang misyon ang PCG vessel na makapagdala ng supply sa kanilang mga tauhan sa Patag at Lawak Islands.
Nauna rito, nagsumite ng diplomatic protest ang China dahil umano sa ilegal na pananatili ng PCG vessel BRP Teresa Magbanua sa Escoda Shoal kahit ito ay nasa loob ng Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone.
“The unprofessional and dangerous actions of the Chinese Coast Guard Vessels were in violation of international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 1972 Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs),” ayon kay Lopez.
Sa naturang press briefing, sinabi ni Lopez na nananatiling isinusulong ng Pilipinas ang isang diplomatic o peaceful approach sabay sabing ang kinetic actions, “would not be to the best interest of our country and of China and even in the region.”
“”Well, in line with the President’s directive. Kasi if we will be going beyond diplomatic or peaceful approach, you can just imagine. Maybe if you’re referring to more kinetic actions, that will not be to the best interest of our country and of China, and even in the region,” ayon kay Lopez.
“So, we’re looking at this approach. We can never go wrong by using this diplomatic and peaceful approach and we are compliant ‘no to the Code of Conduct that we have signed in 2002, that among others, parties will restraint ‘no, will exercise restraint in the conduct of activities that would complicate or even escalate the dispute in the area among others,” ang pahayag ni Lopez. Kris Jose
