Manila: Leaders of the House of Representatives on Tuesday condemned the latest water cannon attack by the China Coast Guard (CCG) on a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel. The incident happened on Monday in the Scarborough Shoal area, with BRP Suluan successfully evading a water cannon blast from CCG-3104, resulting in a collision between the CCG craft and a warship of China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy.
According to Philippines News Agency, Deputy Speaker and La Union Rep. Paolo Ortega V stated, “The Chinese have become victims of their own aggression,” emphasizing that China should not be present in Scarborough Shoal, a traditional fishing ground for Filipino fishermen known as Bajo de Masinloc. Ortega reiterated that China is an intruder in this territory, which is off Zambales and Pangasinan.
China seized Scarborough Shoal in 2012 after a standoff between CCG and PCG and has since been harassing Filipino fisherfolk in the area and Philippine ships patrolling it. Deputy Speaker and Zambales Rep. Jay Khonghun remarked that China’s aggression endangers both Filipino and Chinese people. He described Monday’s incident as karma manifesting itself, suggesting that China was on the receiving end of its own misdeed.
House Deputy Majority Leader and Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong urged China to learn from the incident, emphasizing that there is nothing to be gained from claiming territory belonging to another country. He highlighted the importance of recognizing the ruling by an arbitral tribunal constituted under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which favored the Philippines and is supported by many countries. Adiong called for Beijing to cease its aggressive activities in the West Philippine Sea, including areas from Scarborough Shoal to Ayungin Shoal.
Adiong also appealed to Beijing and its ‘disinformation peddlers’ not to reverse the narrative of Monday’s incident. Meanwhile, the three House leaders praised the PCG crew for acting professionally in the face of provocation from their Chinese counterparts.
