By Hannah Torregoza As the nation celebrates Independence Day, opposition senators reasserted their call on the need for the Philippines to be independent from China. Senators Paolo (Bam) Aquino IV (r) and Francis (Kiko) Pangilinan
(MANILA BULLETIN)aquino pangilinan   Senators Paolo “Bam” Aquino IV and Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, in separate Independence Day statements, said it is time that Filipinos rise up from China’s bullying tactics. “Ipinagdiriwang natin ang Araw ng Kalayaan ngunit marami sa mga kapatid nating mangingisda ay hindi malayang mangisda sa sarili nating karagatan (We’re celebrating Independence Day but many of our brothers who are fishermen are not free to fish within our own waters),” Aquino said. “Ninanakawan na at inaapi ang ating mga kapatid na mangingisda ngunit tila walang ginagawa ang pamahalaan para protektahan ang kanilang kapakanan, (our fishermen are being bullied and they lose their catch to them but it seems our government is not even keen on protecting their welfare),” the senator added. During a press conference in Malacañang, several fishermen affirmed that China is dictating the movement of vessels over the Panatag shoal through its coast guard ships in the area. One of the fishermen said the Chinese coast guard is blocking access of bigger Filipino fishing vessels to the shoal’s lagoon. To this, Aquino said: “We shouldn’t need China’s permission to fish in our own waters.” Aquino earlier urged the Senate to take the lead in defending the country amid China’s militarization of our seas. He said a strong and independent Senate can and should investigate all the country’s dealings with China, “especially when the rights and livelihood of our countrymen are at risk.” “If Malacañang will not side with the Filipino people on this issue, then the Senate can take the lead in defending our country,” the lawmaker emphasized. Pangilinan, for his part, said it is imperative that Filipinos remember the country’s heroes “who willingly gave their lives for the cause not just of nationhood, but more so the cause of self-determination toward a peaceful and prosperous society where citizens can freely and safely express their thoughts, religion, political beliefs.” The nation’s heroes, he also stressed, fought hard to achieve an independent nation “where workers and young people enjoy equal opportunities for growth; and where economic growth is felt especially by the poorest.” “We celebrate the 120th anniversary of the proclamation of Philippine independence amid stark challenges and abiding aspirations as a nation, particularly the blatant violations to our territory and our resources, and consequently to our rights as a free people,” Pangilinan noted. “Not since World War II have we faced such a serious threat to our sovereignty, to the very definition of who we are, to our very existence and survival as a country,” he said. Pangilinan noted that this year’s Independence Day celebration is marked with many of the countrymen questioning the government’s foreign policy direction. “Ngayong Araw ng Kalayaan, naghahanap ng kasagutan ang mga tanong na ito: Duyan tayo ng magiting, sumpa natin ay hindi tayo pasisiil pero bakit tila alipin umasta sa harap ng China ang mga namumuno? (This Independence Day, we are looking for answers to these questions: we claim to be the cradle of the courageous, we vowed not to be cowed, but why do our leaders act as slaves before the Chinese?),” Pangilinan said. “Bakit nila isinasantabi ang mga pangangailangan ng ating mga kababayang mangingisda? Nasaan ang pagtupad sa sinumpaang tungkuling pangalagaan at proteksyunan ang mga karapatan nating mamamayang pinagmumulan ng kanilang kapangyarihan? (Why are they setting aside the needs of our own fishermen? What happened to their sworn promise to protect the rights of the people from where their authority emanated?)” he pointed out. “Why are our leaders kowtowing to a neighbor at the expense of our own people, our own waters, our own self-respect?” he stressed