On Independence Day, opposition urges gov’t to fight for country’s sovereignty

MANILA, Philippines — As the country commemorates its 120th Independence Day, opposition lawmakers renewed their calls to the government to assert and fight for the Philippines’ sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea.  

Sen. Francis Pangilinan, president of the once ruling Liberal Party, said that the country is celebrating its Independence Day while facing a “serious threat to our sovereignty.”

“Why are our leaders kowtowing to a neighbor at the expense of our own people, our own waters, our own self-respect?” he said.

Another Liberal Party legislator, Sen. Bam Aquino, slammed the reported harassment of Filipino fishermen by Chinese coast guard personnel on the disputed waters.

“Ninanakawan na at inaapi ang ating mga kapatid na mangingisda ngunit tila walang ginagawa ang pamahalaan para protektahan ang kanilang kapakanan,” Aquino said.

In a press briefing Monday, fisherman Romel Cejuela narrated how the Chinese coast guard have been boarding their boat and forcibly taking their catch at the disputed shoal.

He also expressed concern that the Chinese may once again block them from entering the shoal should a misunderstanding ensue between Manila and Beijing over the incident.

“We shouldn’t need China’s permission to fish in our own waters,” Aquino said.

Since the shoal is a traditional fishing ground, China, the Philippines or any other country cannot block access to the area.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said relevant Chinese departments will seriously investigate the reported fish-taking incidents.

Sen. Risa Hontiveros also called the current administration’s dealings with China and the West Philippine Sea a threat to the Philippine independence and sovereignty.

“It is a complete foreign policy disaster. It has squandered our historic victory at the United Nations Arbitral Tribunal. It betrays our heroes’ struggle for independence against foreign colonizers. It is a policy of annexation to a foreign power,” she said.

Hontiveros also called for an audit of the current administration’s foreign policy, saying such move could scrutinize the diplomatic actions undertaken against china, as well as the diplomatic platforms and channels used.

“Amid the timidity, silence and opacity about how government carries its foreign policy work, we need a public, participatory and comprehensive assessment of its foreign policy directions and implementation,” she said.

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