Activists to protest at Chinese embassy over ‘piracy’ in West Philippine Sea

/ 11:17 AM June 05, 2024

BRP Sierra Madre

The BRP Sierra Madre is seen docked at Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea on November 10, 2023. Agence France-Presse

MANILA, Philippines — West Philippine Sea activists will hold a protest in front of the Chinese Embassy on the eve of Independence Day after what they called China Coast Guard’s “Jack Sparrow” move at Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal recently.

“They cannot do a ‘Made in China’ Jack Sparrow act in our backyard and expect no accountability,” Rafaela David, chief convenor of Atin Ito, said in a statement on Wednesday, referring to a fictional character and the main protagonist of the film “Pirates of the Caribbean.”

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David urged interested participants to bring Philippine flags to the activity in front of the Chinese Consular Office on June 11, Tuesday, at 10:00 a.m.

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“Bring your flags, your courage, and your unyielding spirit,” the concurrent Akbayan president said.

READ: China has ‘zero common sense’ over actions during Ayungin airdrop—PH Navy

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The chief convenor of the civilian missions in the western section of the exclusive economic zone made the call after China Coast Guard (CCG) seized and dumped overboard food and other supplies meant for troops. CCG also allegedly obstructed a medical evacuation of an ailing soldier from the BRP Sierra Madre.

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During the May 19 mission, CCG personnel aboard two rigid-hull inflatable boats, which managed to come as close as five to ten meters from the BRP Sierra Madre, intercepted one of the four packages airdropped by a military aircraft for the troops there, according to Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad, Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea.

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Trinidad said the CCG may have suspected that the airdropped packages contained construction materials, but pictures shown by the military showed that it only contained foodstuff, which was scattered in the ocean.

READ: CCG slammed for ‘stealing’ supplies for Filipino troops in West PH Sea

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David slammed the CCG move again, calling it “outright modern-day piracy.”

“Our brave frontliners deserve unwavering support, not pillaging by foreign aggressors,” David said. “This is not just an attack on our supplies; it’s an assault on our dignity as a nation.”

The regular resupply mission in the BRP Sierra Madre, a naval outpost grounded in Ayungin Shoal since 1999, became one of the flashpoints of tension in the West Philippine Sea, as Chinese vessels resorted to the usage of military-grade lasers and water cannons, which even injured Philippine navy personnel.

Such actions align with Beijing’s assertion of sovereignty in almost the entire South China Sea, including most of the West Philippine Sea, even if such a claim has been effectively invalidated by a July 2016 international tribunal ruling that stemmed from a case filed by Manila in 2013.

Beijing continues to reject this landmark ruling, which, David said, should be met with “waves of protest and resistance.”

“This is not just about territorial claims: it’s about standing up for what’s just, what is rightfully ours, and making it clear that the West Philippine Sea is not up for grabs,” she said.

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TAGS: China, West Philippine Sea

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