Pinas, naghain ng diplomatic protest laban sa Tsina

NAGHAIN ng diplomatic protest ang Pilipinas laban sa Tsina  matapos ang panibagong insidente ng harassment at panghaharang ng Chinese Coast Guard at Chinese Maritime Militia sa barko ng Pilipinas habang nagsasagawa ng routine resupply at rotation mission sa BRP Sierra Madre sa Ayungin Shoal, araw ng Biyernes, Nobyembre 10.

Sa isang kalatas, iginiit ng  National Task Force-West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) na kailangang umalis ng bisinidad ng Ayungin Shoal ang  CCG vessel 5203 ginamitan ng water cannon ang M/L Kalataan at Unaizah Mae 1 para itaboy ang mga ito.

“The Philippine Embassy in Beijing has demarched the Chinese foreign ministry and protested these actions,” ayon sa  NTF-WPS.

“The Department of Foreign Affairs has also reached out to them and conveyed our protest directly through the Maritime Communications Mechanism,” dagdag na wika nito.

Ayon pa rin sa  NTF-WPS, bukod sa water cannon, nalagay din sa panganib ang dalawang barko dahil dinikitan sila ng mga barko ng Tsina.

“CCG vessel 5203 deployed a water cannon against Philippine supply vessel M/L Kalayaan in an illegal though unsuccessful attempt to force the latter to alter course,” ayon sa NTF-WPS.

“Supply boats Unaizah Mae 1 (UM1) and M/L Kalayaan were also subjected to extremely reckless and dangerous harassment at close proximity by CCG rigid-hulled inflatable boats (RHIB) inside Ayungin Shoal lagoon during their approach to BRP Sierra Madre,”  dagdag na pahayag ng NTF-WPS.

Sa ulat, sa kabila ng panghaharang, nagawa pa rin ng mga barko ng Pilipinas na maituloy ang resupply mission.

“The systematic and consistent manner in which the People’s Republic of China carries out these illegal and irresponsible actions puts into question and significant doubt the sincerity of its calls for peaceful dialogue,” ayon sa NTF-WPS.

“The Philippines, for its part, has acted responsibly, consistent with a rules-based international law, on the basis of UNCLOS and the 2016 Arbitral Award. Peace and stability cannot be achieved without due regard for the legitimate, well-established, and legally settled rights of others,” anito pa rin. (Daris Jose)