MANILA, Philippines – Sinupalpal ng National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) ang China Coast Guard sa paninira nito ng supply vessel ng bansa malapit sa Ayungin Shoal gamit ang water cannon nito.
Ang Unaizah May 4 (UM4), na may dalang suplay para sa mga tropang Pinoy na naka-istasyon sa BRP Sierra Madre, ay nagtamo ng matinding pinsala, ayon sa Armed Forces of the Philippines, dahil sa “continued blasting of water cannons” mula sa dalawang barko ng CCG nitong Sabado ng umaga, Marso 23.
Sa kabila nito ay matagumpay pa rin ang rotation and resupply (RoRe) mission.
“The People’s Republic of China’s latest acts of unprovoked aggression, coercion, and dangerous maneuvers against a legitimate and routine Philippine RoRe mission to Ayungin Shoal, have once again placed at risk, caused severe damage to property, and caused physical harm to Filipinos on board UM4,” saad sa pahayag ng NTF-WPS.
“The actions of the agents of the PRC today in the waters of the Philippine exclusive economic zone (EEZ) show to the Filipino people, the region, and the world that the PRC recognizes no reasonable or legal restraint nor limitation upon its actions under international law,” dagdag pa.
Ayon naman kay CCG spokesperson Gan Yu, nagsagawa ang Pilipinas ng “irregular resupply mission.”
Aniya, nagpadala ang Pilipinas ng dalawang barko ng PCG at isang resupply ship “to intrude into the adjacent waters” ng Ayungin Shoal, o tinatawag ng China na Ren’ai Jiao, “only 18 days after its resupply mission, attempting to transport construction materials” sa BRP Sierra Madre.
“It is a deliberate and provocative move that infringes upon China’s sovereignty and legitimate rights and interests and undermines peace and stability in the South China Sea. Despite repeated warnings and routing control by the Chinese side, the Filipino resupply ship tried to intrude into the adjacent waters of Ren’ai Jiao forcefully,” sinabi pa ni Gan.
Dahil dito ay kinailangan umanong magpatuoad ng CCG ng “lawful regulation, interception, and expulsion in a reasonable and professional manner.”
“We warn the Philippines that playing with fire is an invitation [to] disgrace, and the China Coast Guard is ready at all times to defend the country’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests,” dagdag niya.
Sa kabila ng pahayag ng China, sinabi ng NTF-WPS na patuloy na kikilos ng mapayapa at naaayon ang Pilipinas, batay sa international law partikular na sa United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea at 2016 Arbitral Award.
“The Philippines will not be deterred—by veiled threats or hostility—from exercising our legal rights over our maritime zones, including Ayungin Shoal, which forms part of our EEZ and continental shelf,” dagdag pa niya.
“We demand that China demonstrate in deeds and not in words that it is a responsible and trustworthy member of the international community.”
Samantala, nakiisa naman si Japan Ambassador Endo Kazuya sa bansa sa paninindigan sa WPS.
“Japan reiterates its grave concern [over] the repeated dangerous actions by CCG in SCS, which resulted in Filipino injuries,” ayon kay Endo. RNT/JGC
