China’s ‘island hopping’ in WPS can’t muddle the truth – Hontiveros

Personnel from the Philippine Navy, Philippine Coast Guard, and Philippine National Police Maritime Group raise the Philippine flag on Pag-asa Cay, or Sandy Cay, during a maritime operation on April 27, 2025. — Photo from the National Task Force – West Philippine Sea

MANILA,  Philippines —“No amount of island hopping” by the China Coast Guard (CCG) could hide the truth that Sandy Cay belongs to the Philippines, opposition Sen. Risa  Hontiveros said on Monday.

Her remark came in response to China’s reported occupation of the disputed reef in the West Philippines Sea (WPS) earlier this month, which she described as “another spectacle orchestrated by Beijing.”

According to reports,  the CCG “implemented maritime control” over Sandy Cay not just to “exercise sovereignty and jurisdiction but to carry out an ‘inspection’ and collect video evidence regarding the illegal activities of the Philippine side.”

READ: China seizes disputed West PH Sea reef near key military outpost – report

Hontiveros asserted the Philippines’ claim over the tiny sandbank.

“Sandy Cay belongs to the Philippines, and no amount of island hopping of the China Coast Guard will muddle the truth,” she said in a statement.

Hontiveros pointed out that international law affirms that Sandy Cay is part of the WPS and is only about two nautical miles away from the inhabited Pag-asa Island.

Since 2017 or during the Duterte administration, however, no Filipino has been able to come close to Sandy Cay because of the Chinese presence, Hontiveros lamented.

She then urged the government to take appropriate action to safeguard the country’s claim over the contested territory.

“If we don’t, this might even undermine our presence on Pag-asa Island,” she said.

Aside from the Department of Foreign Affairs’ filing of a diplomatic protest, Hontiveros said she also expects the Philippine Coast Guard to conduct more joint patrols in the area.

“China’s unacceptable behavior not only violates international law, it also further keeps Filipino fisherfolk away from waters they should have access to,” she added.

The  senator also branded this latest report as “another spectacle orchestrated by Beijing.”

“China should stop creating drama,” Hontiveros said.

“The photoshoot gimmick and supposed planting of the Chinese flag on Sandy Cay is just another spectacle orchestrated by Beijing. No self-respecting State would take it to mean that China now has sovereign rights over it,” Hontiveros said.

Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada also sees the need to firmly establish first the truth behind China’s claims to Sandy Cay, saying that “this situation poses a significant threat to our national sovereignty and security.”

“If these claims are proven to be unfounded, it is yet another attempt to distort the reality of the situation and spread fake news. Our Inter-Agency Maritime Operation conducted a patrol in the area to affirm our maritime rights over Sandy Cay,” Estrada said in a statement.

READ: NTF-WPS reports completing maritime operation at Pag-asa Cay

“We must stay vigilant and resolute in protecting our sovereignty and maritime rights. I urge our relevant agencies to clarify the situation and ensure that any actions violating our territorial integrity are addressed the soonest possible time,” he added.