Akbayan Party-list Rep. Perci Cendaña had choice words for Asian giant China over the incident in Ayungin Shoal where the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) attacked a Philippine Navy member.
The attack took place even as the Philippines was still fuming over state media outlet China Daily's racist portrayal of Filipinos as monkeys in an artificial intelligence (AI)-generated video on the West Philippine Sea (WPS) dispute.
"Muli naman nasaksihan natin ang uri ng pang-aabusong ginagawa ng mga personnel ng China sa ating [WPS] frontliners ngayong araw. Isang tauhan ng Philippine Navy na nakatalaga sa Ayungin Shoal ang hinampas sa ulo ng isang miyembro ng Chinese Coast Guard (CCG)," Cendaña said on Monday, July 20.
(Once again we witnessed the kind of abuse carried out by Chinese personnel against our WPS frontliners today. A Philippine Navy officer assigned to Ayungin Shoal was struck on the head by a member of the CCG.)
"We condemn this latest act of barbarism that the Chinese government regularly perpetrates against our fishing communities and WPS frontliners," said the assistant minority leader in the House of Representatives.
"Clearly, we are not dealing with honest actors here. The Chinese government has no qualms in using physical violence and intimidation as its weapons of choice in addressing its disagreements with its neighbors," noted the outspoken Cendaña.
The party-list solon was under no illusion that diplomatic protests would suddenly be heeded amid these acts of aggression.
"Continued issuances of diplomatic protests will only fall on deaf ears. No amount of written protests can change the Chinese government’s racist and chauvinist attitude towards Filipinos," he said.
"Instead, I call on the President to expel the Chinese ambassador to show that we do not tolerate such barbaric and uncivilized behavior," Cendaña said.
"Hindi natin pwedeng palampasin ang patuloy na pangaalipusta sa ating mga kababayan (We cannot allow the continued mistreatment of our countrymen)," he noted.
'Pirates' in Philippine waters
Cendaña's fellow Akbayan nominee, Rep. Dadah Kiram Ismula, descrbed the CCG as outright "pirates".
"The Chinese government is acting like pirates and bandits in our own seas," she said.
"Hindi ito first time na may sinaktan ang China sa ating mga uniformed personnel na nagpapatrol sa [WPS]. Noong 2024, naputulan ng daliri si Seaman First Class Jeffrey Facundo dahil sa [CCG]," she recalled.
(This is not the first time China has harmed our uniformed personnel patrolling the WPS. In 2024, Seaman First Class Jeffrey Facundo lost a finger because of the CCG.)
Echoing Cendaña's call, Ismula said: "We call on the President to expel the Chinese ambassador to the Philippines to show their government that we are not blind to their violent acts."
According to Cendaña, this Ayungin incident should also serve as a reminder to the House leadership to provide immediate and sufficient support to all WPS frontliners, either uniformed personnel or civilian personnel.
"They are the thin line of defense against Chinese aggression and expansionism," he said.
"I reiterate my call on the House leadership to pass HB (House Bill) No.8673 to provide hazard pay to our civilian frontliners in the [WPS] and pass the other WPS bills that seek to strengthen the defense of our sovereignty.
HB No. 8673 is the proposed Act providing hazard pay for civilian government personnel assigned or deployed in the WPS, appropriating funds therefor, and for other purposes.
It is pending before the Committee on the West Philippine Sea.