(MANILA STANDARD) Gaslighting seems to be the latest tactic employed by China to divert public attention from their latest act of bullying.
China has been caught on video harassing Filipino troops as they tried to intercept the supply packages airdropped by a military aircraft for those stationed in the BRP Sierra Madre.
“China must immediately cease its illegal, coercive, aggressive, and deceptive actions,” said Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, chairperson of the Senate Defense Committee.
He said China’s continuous and blatant disregard for our sovereignty, repeated hostile actions, and reprehensible acts underscore a provocative pattern of behavior that must be called out and condemned by the global community.
“We will not be intimidated. We will not allow these accusations to taint the reputation of our noble soldiers,” Estrada said.
The Ayungin Shoal, the senator asserted, is part of our territory and it is the duty of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine Coast Guard to protect it from any illegal activities.
Beijing has accused Filipino troops of destroying and removing fishing nets installed by Chinese fishermen within the vicinity of Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.
Meanwhile, an administration lawmaker condemned the latest China attacks on Filipino vessels and interception of supplies for the BRP Sierra Madre.
Rep. Robert Ace Barbers termed the acts as barbaric with no place in a civilized world. He condemned the acts and called for the government to file protests not limited to diplomatic “note verbales” but criminal complaints before international bodies.
“The latest uncalled for barbaric and inhumane attacks by the trespassers that are all caught on video deserves the highest condemnation from the international community. It did not only show unprovoked aggression, it placed the lives of our people in grave danger,” Barbers said.
“It was worse than the illegal water cannon aggression because it was almost like a hand to hand combat with our personnel scrambling to get back the air-dropped supplies for the Sierra Madre that were snatched by the Chinese, unmindful of their own safety,” he added.
“These Filipinos deserve the highest commendation from our government for their heroic deeds. They are willing to risk their lives to bring food supplies to their fellow Filipinos and uphold the interest and honor of the country against all odds,” Barbers said.
“I strongly urge the President through the appropriate departments and agencies to initiate the filing of criminal complaints before the international bodies with jurisdiction over such criminal behavior, especially committed within our internationally recognized territory. We should not let this pass,” he added.