Deputy minority leader Senator Risa Hontiveros on Wednesday, September 20 renewed her call for China to indemnify the Philippine government for the environmental damages they caused in the West Philippine Sea.
Hontiveros made the push after the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) recently confirmed the destruction of coral reefs in Rozul Reef and Escoda Shoal that was most likely caused by Chinese maritime militia vessels.
In response to this, the senator filed Senate Resolution No. 804 condemning the massive coral harvesting and urging the appropriate Senate committee to conduct an inquiry into the matter.
“We should seek payment for damages caused by China in the WPS. Aabot ng bilyon-bilyon ang makukuha natin kung maoobligang magbayad ang Tsina (China will be obligated to pay us in billions if we do so),” Hontiveros said.
“Ninanakawan na nga nila ng hanapbuhay ang ating mga mangingisda, winawasak pa nila ang ating likas-yaman. Kung mabayaran ng Tsina ang lahat ng utang niya sa Pilipinas, siguradong makakatulong ito sa kinakaharap nating krisis sa ekonomiya (Not only are they stealing from the livelihood of our fishermen, they are also destroying our natural resources. If China will pay us for all that they owe us, I’m certain this will help us solve the economic crisis we are facing),” she further said.
During the height of the pandemic, Hontiveros also filed Senate Resolution No. 369, calling on the Executive to exert legal and diplomatic efforts so that China would foot the bill of the country’s COVID-19 response.
This was after a scientist from the University of the Philippines’ (UP) Marine Science Institute, Dr. Deo Onda, estimated that the Philippines was losing around P33.1-billion annually from the damaged reef ecosystems in Panatag Shoal and Spratlys Islands due to China’s reclamation activities in the area.
According to Onda, the amount was determined using a baseline value of $353,429 or P18-million per hectare per year for coral reefs based on a study conducted by Elsevier, a Dutch company specializing in scientific, technical, and medical information and analytics.
“This will not be the first time for us to seek reparations. Japan paid our country for her destruction of Manila during World War II, and in more recent history, the United States of America also paid the Philippines P87-million, after the USS Guardian damaged Tubbataha Reef in the Sulu Sea,” Hontiveros recalled.
“May karapatan tayong maningil (we have the right to charge them for it), ” Hontiveros explained.
In the explanatory note of her resolution, Hontiveros reiterated that the protection of the country’s marine life requires effectively securing its territorial integrity. Thus, the government cannot tolerate the continuing harms done to its environment, economy and security brought about by China’s incursions.
Therefore, she said, the government must explore all available remedies to hold China accountable, including filing a claim of damages before the Permanent Court of Arbitration.
“Our 2016 Arbitral Award clearly invalidated China’s sweeping and expansive claims in the WPS. This is a case we won because of our dogged commitment to abide by international law and uphold the truth. It is only right that we pursue all options to make China pay,” the lawmaker insisted.