Akbayan Party-list Rep. Perci Cendaña on Tuesday, May 27, condemned China's shadowing of the Philippines' two civilian vessels while they were on their way to Pag-Asa Island for the first ever sea concert in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
'Gatecrasher': Akbayan hits China's shadowing of Philippine civilian vessel
At A Glance
- Akbayan Party-list Rep. Perci Cendaña on Tuesday, May 27, condemned China's shadowing of the Philippines' two civilian vessels while they were on tneir way to Pag-Asa Island for the first ever sea concert in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
Cendaña wondered what China was afraid of from a mere peace concert that it needed to deploy its coast guard personnel.
The solon said the foreign vessesl even crossed into the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
"Matapos nating imbitahan ang China through their embassy sa ating sea peace concert at hindi sila tumugon– ngayon nag-aasta silang gatecrasher sa ating EEZ," Cendaña said.
(After we invited China through their embassy to our sea peace concert and they did not respond—now they are acting like gatecrashers in our EEZ.)
At around 8 a.m. of Monday, May 26, two Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) ships shadowed the Atin Ito civilian vessel of the Philippine government while it was just 54 nautical miles off the coast of El Nido, Palawan.
Cendaña called China's action "a blatant act of bullying against Filipino civilians and artists asserting our sovereign rights through peaceful means".
"That this shadowing happened so near El Nido is unacceptable," he said.
Cendaña reiterated Akbayan’s full support for the Atin Ito coalition’s third civilian mission, which aims to amplify Filipino presence and solidarity in the WPS through non-military, cultural assertion.
"The Sea Concert for Peace is a powerful symbol of unity and courage. While China wields coercion, we respond with music and solidarity. While they sow fear, we sing for freedom. The [WPS] belongs to the Filipino people—not to a foreign bully," he added.