Muntinlupa Rep. Rozzano Rufino ‘’Ruffy’’ B. Biazon on Friday condemned the harassment of a Filipino civilian vessel in Philippine waters by Chinese forces, calling the incident, which happened on the eve of The Day of Valor (Araw ng Kagitingan), “unacceptable”.
(Photo from Biazon’s Facebook account / FILE PHOTO)
“We protest and condemn in the strongest terms the actions of Chinese forces in the West Philippine Sea in the area of Ayungin shoal where, disregarding international law, a Filipino civilian vessel with a TV news team on board were harassed and denied passage to their destination within the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ),” Biazon, vice chairman of the House Committee on National Defense, said.
Biazon is the son of former senator Rodolfo Biazon.
“This disrespect of Filipinos on the eve of the country’s commemoration of The Day of Valor is unacceptable,” he added.
Biazon said the “manifest bullying” by the Chinese Coast Guard and Navy was “the height of Chinese arrogance and hypocrisy” since they always call on other nations to practice respect and promote peace in those waters.
“The use of grey hulls in denying Filipinos’ passage in the West Philippine Sea within the country’s EEZ is conduct that deserves condemnation by the Filipinos,” he said.
Biazon stressed the Chinese conduct was devoid of any legal basis and deserves the appropriate legal action through diplomatic channels.
“We expect the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to once again file a diplomatic protest and perhaps even summon the Chinese representative to the Philippines to explain why Chinese Navy vessels which are known to be armed are harassing Filipinos who are well within their and their country’s right to ply the waters of the West Philippine Sea,” he said.
However, Biazon said the Philippines should take courage in the fact that the international community was sympathetic to its cause.
“We should take advantage of proactive stance and consider joining their Freedom of Navigation Operations and solidify our alliances against Chinese intrusion,” he said.
Biazon then urged his colleagues in the House of Representatives to support a resolution he would be filing to express the sense of House in protesting and condemning the harassment of Filipinos in the West Philippine Sea.
According to ABS-CBN journalist Chiara Zambrano, who was aboard the Filipino vessel, they were traveling across various reefs and shoals in the West Philippine Sea close to the mainland of Palawan to see where Filipino fisherfolk have moved their livelihood since the large number of Chinese vessels overwhelmed their former fishing grounds after the artificial islands built by China were established.
The civilian vessel made its way to Ayungin Shoal and was four miles from the entrance of the shoal when a China Coast Guard vessel asked the Filipino crew to identify themselves.
The Filipino captain decided to steer the boat away from Ayungin Shoal to avoid a confrontation, but the Chinese ship accelerated and chased the Filipino ship, following it for an hour on its way home to mainland Palawan.