MANILA, Philippines – MARIING kinondena ng ilang envoy mula Asya, Europa, North America, at Oceania ang muling pambabangga ng Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessel sa barko ng Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) ship sa nakalipas na linggo.
Sa isang kalatas, sinabi ni European Union (EU) spokesperson Nabila Massrali na malinaw na nilabag ng CCG ang international law nang magkasa ito ng mapanganib na pagkilos sa “lawful Philippine maritime operations”.
“The incident is the latest of several such actions during the past months, which endanger the safety of life at sea, and violate the right to freedom of navigation and overflight to which all nations are entitled,” ayon kay Massrali.
Sinabi pa niya na ang United Nations (UN) Charter, UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) at iba pang kaugnay na international norms na may kinalaman sa kaligtasan ng buhay at karagatan, at Arbitration Award of 2016 ay “should be upheld and respected at all times.”
“The EU condemns all unlawful, escalatory and coercive actions that undermine these principles of international law and threaten peace and stability in the region,” ang sinabi ni Massrali.
Tinukoy nito ang prohibisyon ng paggamit ng puwersang o pamimilit at ‘right to freedom of navigation at overflight.”
Nanawagan naman ang EU para sa pagpapahupa sa tensyon at nangako na susuportahan ang kaanib nito “to exercise their legitimate rights, in the region and beyond.”
Sinabi naman ni EU Ambassador to the Philippines Luc Véron na siya ay “deeply concerned with the repetition of incidents” sa kanyang post sa X.
“The EU reiterates its call for observance of freedom of navigation and maritime safety in the South China Sea, in accordance with international law,” ayon kay Véron.
Suportado naman ni German Ambassador to the Philippines Andreas Pfaffernoschke ang posisyon ng EU.
“Germany fully subscribes to [Véron’s] statement,” ang sinabi naman ni Pfaffernoschke sa kanyang X account( dating Twitter).
Kinondena rin ni Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines David Hartman ang naging aksyon ng CCG at sinabi ang kaguluhan ay “7th serious incident” sa buwan ng Agosto lamang.
“Canada calls on the People’s Republic of China to cease its repeated and dangerous obstruction of Philippine vessels and aircraft which undermines peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region,” ang sinabi ni Hartman sa kanyang post sa X.
Nagpahayag naman ng kanyang pag-alaala si Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Endo Kazuya expressed sa naulit na insidente bilang stakeholder sa South China Sea.
“Japan opposes any unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or coercion. Japan stands together with the Philippines by upholding rule of law at sea,” ang winika ni Kazuya sa kanyang post sa X.
Kinatigan naman ni Ambassador of the Republic of Korea Lee Sang-hwa ang alalahanin ni Kazuya sa naulit na insidente sabay sabing “that have escalated tension and jeopardized the safety of the Philippine vessels and its personnel on board.”
“The Embassy reiterates its support for peace, stability, safety, and rules-based order in these waters as well as the importance of freedom of navigation and overflight in accordance with international law, including UNCLOS,” ayon kay Lee sa kanyang post sa kanyang Facebook account.
Sa isang kalatas, sinabi naman ng New Zealand Embassy in Manila na ang pambabangga ng barko ng CCG vessel sa barko ng Pilipinas ay “profoundly troubling and fits a recent pattern of dangerous and destabilizing actions in the region.”
“New Zealand calls for de-escalation and compliance with international law, in particular UNCLOS,” ang sinabi ng embahada sa post sa X.
Suportado naman ni Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Hae Kyong Yu ang alalahanin ng Pilipinas ukol sa “China’s destabilizing behaviour at Sabina Shoal in the South China Sea.”
“Repeatedly ramming vessels is unacceptable and dangerous. All countries must comply with international law. The 2016 Arbitral Award is binding on its parties,” ang sinabi ni Yu sa kanyang post sa X.
Kinumpirma ng Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) na muling nagsagawa ng dangerous maneuver ang barko ng China Coast Guard nang banggain ang BRP Teresa Magbanua na nakadaong sa Escoda Shoal nitong Sabado.
Ayon kay Commodore Jay Tarriela, spokesperson for The West Philippine Sea, sinadya o intentional ang ginawang pagbangga ng CCG 5025 nang mag-maniobra na nagresulta sa direktang pagbangga sa unahang bahagi ng BRP Teresa Magbanua.
Binalewala aniya ng CCG ang collision regulation nang banggain ang MRRV 9701 o ang BRP Magbanua sa starboard quarter nito.
Gayunman, walang nasaktan sa sakay ng BRP Magbanua, habang bahagyang napinsala ang barko.
Pinaniniwalaang nagtamo rin ng pinsala ang bumanggang CCG 5205.
Ang nasabing insidente ay nakunan ng video na ipinrisinta ni Tarriela.
Samantala, tinawag namang “dangerous, irresponsible, at reckless” ng isang think tank ang ginawa ng CCG laban sa PCG ship BRP Teresa Magbanua (MRRV-9701).
“It not only caused significant damage to our vessel, but gravely endangered the lives of those onboard. This kind of behavior has no place in our rules-based order,”ang sinabi ni Stratbase ADR Institute president Victor Andres Manhit.
Sinabi pa nito na ang iginigiit ng Tsina na ito’y “exercises indisputable sovereignty” in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) ay “false and baseless.”
“It is an act of desperation because the matter has been, in fact, settled. Chinese behavior, including repeated incursions of its vessels into Philippine territory, unprovoked aggression, and the propagation of disinformation, are clear violations of international law,” diing pahayag ni Manhit.
Hinikayat naman nito ang Tsina na “behave responsibly” at sumunod sa obligasyon sa ilalim nginternational law, kabilang na ang 2016 Arbitral Award, kapuwa sa maritime space at airspace.
“It is the responsibility of all nations to ensure the peace, security, and stability of the Indo-Pacific,” aniya pa rin. Kris Jose
