Senators have called on the government of China to “act as a respectable and responsible member of the international community” as they again criticized Beijing’s latest attack against a Philippine government vessel that was traversing the West Philippine Sea. 

“We condemn in the strongest possible terms the illegal and reckless actions of the China Coast Guard (CCG) and its maritime militia on October 12, 2025, off Pag-asa Island in the West Philippine Sea,” Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan said in a statement.

“The deliberate firing of a water cannon and ramming of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessel BRP Datu Pagbuaya—a Philippine government vessel lawfully operating within our own waters—was a brazen act of aggression. It was a deliberate assault on our sovereignty and on the Filipino people,” said Pangilinan. 

Pangilinan said this latest incident adds to the growing pattern of Chinese hostility within the country’s sovereign territory and exclusive economic zone (EEZ). 

“It is an affront to the rule of law, to peace and stability in the region, and to the dignity of every nation that abides by international norms,” the senator said.

“We call on China to immediately cease these illegal and dangerous provocations, to respect the 2016 Arbitral Award and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and to act as a respectable and responsible member of the international community—one that honors peace, cooperation, and lawful coexistence among nations,” he added.

At the same time, Pangilinan vowed to ensure that during the budget deliberations in the Senate, “we will ensure that our maritime and defense institutions” particularly the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the BFAR, will “have the resources and support they need to patrol, protect, and persevere.”

“To our fisherfolk who brave these waters despite constant intimidation, know that the nation stands with you. Your courage is proof that sovereignty is not just claimed—it is lived and defended every day,” the senator said.

At the same time, Pangilinan urged all Filipinos to continue to be vigilant against China’s aggression.

“Finally, I call on every Filipino to remain vigilant and united. The West Philippine Sea is our heritage, our sustenance, and our responsibility to future generations,” he said.

“We will never yield to bullying or fear. The West Philippine Sea is ours—by law, by right, and by the unwavering spirit of a people who refuse to be cowed,” added the lawmaker.

Sen. Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada, in a separate statement, also slammed China for the deliberate ramming and water cannon attack on the BRP Datu Pagbuaya.

Estrada stressed its attack within the country’s territorial waters is not an isolated case. 

“This kind of incident reveals a disturbing pattern of harassment and provocation that undermines our sovereignty and endangers the safety of our maritime personnel,” he said. 

Estrada, likewise, commended the swift diplomatic action taken by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in lodging a protest against China.

“(It) is commendable, and I stand in full support of it. The safety of our maritime frontliners and the protection of our sovereign rights must never be compromised,” the senator stressed.

“Makailang ulit na itong nangyayari, at hindi natin dapat palampasin ang ganitong panggigipit sa atin ng China (This has happened several times, and we should not ignore this pressure from China),” he added.

“Insulto ito sa karapatang pantao at sa umiiral na international law na patuloy nilang nilalapastangan (It is an insult to human rights and to existing international law, which they continue to flout),” Estrada lamented.