BY: DIANN CALUCIN
Activist group "Alyansa Bantay Kapayapaan at Demokrasya (ABKD)" held a noise barrage at the Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila on Thursday, July 11, to call out the aggressive action of China in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
The activity was held a day before the 8th anniversary of the Philippine government's historic victory in the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands, against China's claim to some parts of the WPS through the cancellation of the "9 Dash Line" on July 12, 2016.
The protesters were composed of ABKD members in Central Luzon, Southern Tagalog, and National Capital Region (NCR).
ABKD said the protest is to show their strong condemnation of China's continued aggressive actions in the WPS.
"Mga kababayan, ngayon ay ang bisperas ng makasaysayang tagumpay ng Pilipinas laban sa pag aanglin ng China sa lang bahaging ating West Philippine Sea. Walong taon mula ng ibasura ang 9-Dash Line ng China subalit patuloy ang pangha-harass at pangb-ubully ng China Coast Guard sa ating mga Plipino sa WPS, lalo na sa nangyari noong nakaraang buwan sa Ayungin Shoal, na kung saan ay naputol ang isang daliri sa kamay ng isa nating magiting na sundalo para sa pagtatanggol ng ating karapatan sa WPS (It's the day before the historic victory of the Philippines against China's claim to only part of our West Philippine Sea. It has been eight years since the 9-Dash Line of China was abolished but the Chinese Coast Guard continues to harass and bully Filipino fishermen and troops in the WPS, especially what happened last month in Ayungin Shoal, where a soldier's finger was cut off while defending our right to the WPS)," according to Rodolfo "RJ" Villena, Jr., spokesperson and lead convenor of ABKD.
They said that China should respect international law, the UN Charter, the 1982 UNCLOS, and the Arbitral Tribunal Ruling.
The group said these laws are the most effective solution to resolve the tension in the contested territories in the WPS.
The group also called on the administration of President Marcos to make the month of July the “West Philippine Sea Awareness Month" throughout the Philippines in appreciation and commemoration of the historic victory of the Philippines against China and to promote awareness among the people of the importance of WPS for the future generations of Filipinos.