MANILA, Philippines — Naghain ng diplomatic protest ang gobyerno ng Pilipinas matapos mamataan ang mahigit 200 barkong Tsino malapit sa isang bahurang nasa loob ng exclusive economic zone (EEZ) ng bansa sa West Philippine Sea.
Kinumpirma ni Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. ang protesta Linggo ng gabi kaugnay ng aktibidades ng mga Tsino sa Juan Felipe Reef (Whitsun Reef).
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"Diplomatic protest fired off tonight; can’t wait for first light," ani Locsin sa isang tweet kagabi.
Diplomatic protest fired off tonight; can’t wait for first light. @DFAPHL @cnnphilippines @ANCALERTS @gmanews @manilabulletin @UN_News_Centre. https://t.co/JXdr5P5utv
— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) March 21, 2021
Ang Julian Felipe Reef ay nasa loob ng EEZ at continental shelf ng Pilipinas, hilagang silangan ng Pagkakaisa Banks at Reefs (Unions Reefs) mahigit-kumulang 175 nautical miles kanluran ng Bataraza, Palawan.
"I got the coordinates, so to speak. And relayed to my legal artillery, 'Fire at will.' Shell should be flying at first light. I don’t usually announce maneuvers but it seems everybody is baring his chest," dagdag ng kalihim, habang ibinabahaging inirekomenda ni National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. ang protesta.
'Umalis kayo riyan'
Parehong hindi nagustuhan ng Department of National Defense (DND) at mga militanteng mangingisda ang aksyon ng Tsina, isang bansang pinatatakbo ni Chinese President Xi Jinping — isang leader na kilalang kaibigan ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte.
"This is a clear provocative action of militarizing the area. These are territories well within Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and Continental Shelf (CS) where Filipinos have the sole right to resources under international law and the 2016 arbitral ruling," ani Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana kagabi.
"We call on the Chinese to stop this incursion and immediately recall these boats violating our maritime rights and encroaching into our sovereign territory. We are committed to uphold our sovereign rights over the WPS."
Nakikipag-ugnayan na raw ang DND sa Philippine Coast Guard, National Task Forces for the West Philippine Sea at DFA para sa akmang aksyon para maprotektgahan ang mga Pilipinong mangingisda, yamang-tubig at kapayapaan sa West Philippine Sea.
Magsasagawa naman na raw ngayon ng "sovereignty patrols" ang Armed Foces of the Philippines para lalong matiyak ang accuracy ng nasabing report — 'yan at kahit sa NTF-WPS at PCG mismo ang report.
Mga mangingisda: 'Wag papatay-patay vs Tsina
Kinastigo naman ng Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) ang animo'y "blatant military aggression" na ito ng Tsina, bagay na dapat daw tapatan agad ng pamahalaan.
"Monitoring like sitting ducks will not drive away the Chinese vessels in our waters. The government must do decisive action to confront and expel these vessels which signify all but display of military might," ani PAMALAKAYA chairperson Fernando Hicap nitong Linggo.
"The least our coast guard could do was to enforce their basic rules of engagement like signaling a warning against intruding foreign vessels in our sovereignty. But they seemingly brushed aside this urgent matter by acting like a bystander."
Kaugnay ba balita: DND: Barkong Pinoy nabangga ng mga Tsino sa West Phl Sea, lubog
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Dagdag pa ni Hicap, nakakatakot ito sa kanilang bahagi bilang mga mangingisda: "The Chinese vessels should set sail away from our territorial waters immediately. They have no business here as they violate our sovereign rights and cause environmental destruction of our marine resources." — James Relativo at may mga ulat mula kay Patricia Lourdes Viray