The spate of incidents of harassment, bullying, and aggression displayed by Chinese authorities against a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) aircraft, a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessel, and a ranking Filipino official clearly shows that China deserves the strongest condemnation from our government.
Belated as this may be, I commend Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro for standing his ground on an international stage, defending our country’s dignity by countering China’s disinformation with fact, and for refusing to let a provocation go unanswered.
Paulit-ulit man ang panggigipit ng China laban sa atin, patuloy tayong maninindigan sa katotohanan na atin ang West Philippine Sea, at hindi tayo matitinag sa pakikibaka para dito. I urge our government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs, to lodge diplomatic protests against China’s repeated illegal and aggressive acts. Such conduct has no place in a civilized world.