Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada (Senate PRIB)

The China Coast Guard (CCG) must be held accountable for its unprovoked attacks on Philippine assets in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), according to Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada. 

"We must hold the CCG accountable for all of its unprovoked attacks. The safety of our government personnel and the sovereignty of our country are non-negotiable," Estrada said in a statement Wednesday, Oct. 9. 

The Senate official was referring to an alleged water cannon attack Tuesday by the CCG on two vessels of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) at Bajo de Masinloc in the WPS. 

The two BFAR boats were the BRP Cabaylo and BRP Datu Sanday. 

"Kung dati ay mga mangingisda at Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) ang madalas na pinapatikim ng water cannon at pambu-bully ng [CCG], ngayon maging ang ating maritime scientists na mula sa [BFAR] nakakaranas na rin at paulit-ulit na rin silang nalalagay sa panganib," Estrada said. 

(Before, the CCG usually bullied the PCG and fishermen, but now even our maritime scientists from BFAR experience this and are repeatedly exposed to danger.) 

"Hindi natin palalampasin ang mga pagmamalabis at hindi makataong pagtrato sa atin ng CCG (We won't let the CCG's abuses and inhumane treatment of us pass). This is a blatant violation of our sovereign rights and rules-based international order, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)," he said. 

"I also urge our PCG and the Philippine Navy to increase the frequency of patrols in the West Philippine Sea to ensure the safety of our people and the security of our waters," Estrada further said.