Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas has condemned the recent incident of harassment by China in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) ships fired water cannons at Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessels escorting boats en route to Ayungin Shoal on Saturday, Aug. 5, for a resupply mission.
“I join the rest of the Filipinos in condemning the [CCG] for harassing the Filipino boat[s] bringing supplies to our countrymen in [WPS],” Treñas said in a statement.
“I share the indignation of the Filipinos in these clear bullying acts of the [CCG]” he added.
The boats, according PCG, were chartered by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to deliver food, water, fuel, and other supplies to military troops stationed on BRP Sierra Madre.
“Such actions by the CCG not only disregarded the safety of the PCG crew and the supply boats but also violated international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the 1972 Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS), and the 2016 Arbitral Award,” PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela said.
“The PCG calls on the China Coast Guard to restrain its forces, respect the sovereign rights of the Philippines in its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, refrain from hampering freedom of navigation, and take appropriate actions against the individuals involved in this unlawful incident,” he added.IMT
