Chinese Embassy's 'Iisang Dagat' video made people more angry, Carpio says
MANILA, Philippines — While Beijing claims that its music video titled "Iisang Dagat" is a tribute to COVID-19 frontliners, there might be a subliminal message in it, retired Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said.
In an online forum organized by the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines on Monday, Carpio said the video is connected to Beijing's official position on the South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea.
As of this post, the music video has more than 512,000 views on YouTube with about 149,000 'dislikes'.
"They say 'Iisang Dagat' but the Chinese are saying 'Iisang dagat pero amin 'yan (One sea but that's ours) because we own more than 85% of the South China Sea,'" Carpio said.
China's nine-dash line over the South China Sea overlaps with maritime claims of other countries in the region, including the Philippines.
In July 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration issued a ruling on the Philippines' arbitration against China. The international tribunal invalidated Beijing's expansive claims over the contested waterway but China continues to reject the landmark award, which favored the Philippines.
"They will say 'Iisang Dagat' of course there's only one sea because the water just moves around. That's fact. There's only one South China Sea but what is unsaid is that they claim to own it," Carpio added.
'China trying to make up for COVID-19 failures'
China's music video appears to be an attempt to make up for its failures at the start of the new coronavirus pandemic, Carpio said, adding that Beijing initially suppressed information on the infectious disease, which originated in Wuhan City.
At the same time, Beijing is also taking advantage of the pandemic but it backfired on them as seen in the public's response to the music video, he said.
Carpio further noted that it was "very rare" for a video to have "overwhelming" dislikes online.
"You can just see that it has boomeranged on China. It has made people more angry at China," Carpio said.
The retired SC justice also recalled how the Department of Health changed its tune on supposedly substandard medical equipment from China after the Chinese Embassy sent a text message to Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.
While it is dealing with the pandemic, the Philippine government should be more concerned about the safety of frontliners rather than trying to please China, he said.
Carpio also said that there should be an investigation whether the face masks, personal protective equipment and other medical equipment that came from China are really compliant with regulations of the World Health Organizations.
"China has taken advantage but of course there's a pushback. People jst don't buy that and that is show in the video that the Chinese Embassy had released. People saw through it and said they don't like it," Carpio said.
Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian wrote the lyrics of the song, which was performed by Chinese diplomat Xia Wenxin, Camarines Sur Gov. Imelda Papin, Filipino-Chinese singer Jhonvid Bangayan and Chinese actor Yubin.
The United States Navy's Nimitz-class nuclear powered supercarrier USS John C. Stennis continues underway in the South China Sea.
The US Pacific Command just reported that it has received "cargo" from support ship USNS Rainier in the disputed waters.
#GreatGreenFleet's USS @Stennis74 receives cargo from USNS #Rainier in the #SouthChinaSea - @US7thFleet pic.twitter.com/MnJWrow6Vv
— U.S. Pacific Command (@PacificCommand) June 10, 2016
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources conducts an aerial maritime inspection over Scarborough Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc on Thursday, according to a report of PTV.
PTV says BFAR is checking if the southeast portion of Bajo de Mansinloc remains free from illegal and hazardous floating barriers.
Earlier this week, the Philippine Coast removed the chains surrounding the entrance of Bajo de Masinloc installed by the China Coast Guard. — PTV
The National Security Council condemns the installation of the floating barriers of the China Coast Guard in Bajo de Masinloc, PTV reports on Monday.
“It ruled categorically that such action by the PRC violated the traditional fishing rights of our fishermen in the shoal who have been fishing there for centuries," NSC Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya says.
"Any State that prevents them from doing artisanal fishing there violates UNCLOS and international law, in general,” he adds.
PTV reports that BRP Antonio Luna of the Philippine Navy and HMCS Ottawa of the Royal Canadian Navy conducted a joint sail in the West Philippine Sea on Sept. 21.
“The joint sail is part of the Philippine Navy's regular engagements with its partners in the Philippines' maritime zones. Bravo Zulu to all the personnel of both ships and those who planned this activity," Ltc Enrico Gil Ileto, Public Affairs AFP chief says.
WATCH: BRP Antonio Luna of the Philippine Navy and HMCS Ottawa of the Royal Canadian Navy conducted a joint sail in the West Philippine Sea on Sept. 21. (????: AFP Wescom) | via Bea Bernardo (1/2) pic.twitter.com/DmJguzJSiF
— PTVph (@PTVph) September 22, 2023
Ahead of the second State of the Nation Address of President Ferdinand Marcis Jr, the descendants of the Bai sa Condor and Anta sa Tebouk, on behalf of the Iranun in the Philippines composed of 16 sultans, formally declares ownership of the Spratly Islands and the Scarborough Shoals as patrimony from their ancestors.
The declaration of ownership is led by Sultan Tomas Reyes Cabili, Jr. as part of the advocacy of the Tomas Ll. Cabili Foundation (TLC Foundation).
"TLC Foundation is doing this for our country’s sake as a whole on our claim for what is ours. Not just for our Muslim brothers and the Moro Origins of Mindanao (IRANUN), BUT for all the Filipinos - and the next generations to come. All the Philippines’ descendants of the Iranunis unfurling the historical dimension of the Spratlys and the ScarboroughShoals to strengthen the Philippines' claim on them and complement the theoretical frameworks already presented in the United Nations," Cabili says.
Raymond Powell, project lead at the Gordion Knot Center for National Security Innovation, tweets that China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels "maneuvered dangerously close" to two Philippine Coast Guard ships on a resupply mission at Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea last week.
In a tweet, Powell identifies the ships as BRP Malabrigo and BRP Malapascua. He says these were escorting a small-boat resupply mission to the Philippines' outpost aboard BRP Sierra Madre and were met by an armada of CCG and militia ships, as well as a possible navy vessel.
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