Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada on Sunday, September 1 said the Philippine government has enough reasons and evidence to bring the repeated and unprovoked dangerous actions of the Chinese Coast Guard before international courts.
Estrada pointed this out after Chinese vessels continue to swarm Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) ships at Escoda Shoal, with the latest ramming incidence happening on Saturday.
The PCG on Saturday, reported that a Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessel deliberately rammed BRP Teresa Magbanua multiple times, in an apparent attempt to drive it out of the shoal.
“We have all the reasons and enough evidence to bring the repeated and unprovoked dangerous actions of the Chinese Coast Guard before international courts,” Estrada said in a statement.
“Our government has sufficient basis to take immediate and decisive legal action to hold China accountable for its increasingly aggressive actions,” he stressed.
The Senate president pro tempore lamented that the CCG has repeatedly endangered the lives of our brave men and women Coast Guard personnel and violated international maritime laws and sovereign rights.
“They (China) have no right to even question the presence of BRP Teresa Magbanua in Escoda Shoal because it is situated within our exclusive economic zone (EEZ) which the arbitral court ruled to be within our sovereign rights and jurisdiction,” Estrada stressed.
Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, for his part, said the incident warrants another filing of a diplomatic protest, which the Philippines should never get tired of, no matter how many times it encounters China’s aggression in the West Philippine Sea.
“Let’s continue filing diplomatic protests, because the implication in international law, is that if you don’t file one, it means you are in agreement,” Pimentel said in an interview on Radio DZBB.
At the same time, he said the Philippine government should stand its ground on its rights and sovereignty over its own exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
And since the waters the PCG patrol are closer to mainland Philippines than mainland China, it should be easifer for the Philippine government to send a ship to Escoda Shoal “because it is closer to us.”
“These incidents are only about 100 km. Why are we outnumbered? Why are there more Chinese vessels (in the area)?” he pointed.
“Dapat mas madali sa atin na magpadala tayo ng barko dyan sa lugar na yan, kasi nga mas malapit sa atin (It should be easier for us to send a ship to that place, because it is closer to us),” Pimentel said.