WPS civilian mission to proceed despite China’s recent water cannon attack

The 100-boat civilian mission to the West Philippine Sea (WPS) will proceed on May 15 despite China’s recent water cannon attacks in Scarborough Shoal, its organizer, Atin Ito Coalition said. 

In a statement sent to reporters on Friday, Atin Ito co-convenor and Akbayan Party president Rafaela David said the group is “not intimidated by China's latest act of violence and harassment.”

“Hindi tayo nagpapatinag. We're like plants watered by adversity – thriving, not just surviving. Parang halamang dinidiligan ng tubig, lalo lamang namumulaklak ang ating pagkakaisa para ipaglaban ang WPS,” she said.

(We are not shaken. We're like plants watered by adversity – thriving, not just surviving. Like a plant being watered, we grow even more united to fight for the WPS.)

“China's water cannon attacks in the West Philippine Sea is a broken philosophy. They are  not getting the desired results. On the contrary, they only nourish Filipino resolve in the WPS,” she added.

The second iteration of the mission aims to conduct a “peace and solidarity regatta” and install markers or buoys in Scarborough Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc. 

Participating in the mission are two main civilian boats escorted by 100 small fishing vessels that will set sail from Zambales.

International observers are invited to join the mission to document the situation in the WPS and witness the challenges faced by Filipino fishermen and frontliners.

Atin Ito also plans to deliver essential supplies like fuel to Filipino fishermen in the area.

Navy spokesperson for the WPS Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad said the military supports and will help in the civilian mission through monitoring for its safety.

Tensions

Bajo de Masinloc is a place of tension between the Philippines and China.

On Tuesday, the Philippine Coast Guard said Chinese Coast vessels fired water cannons at Philippine civilian vessels en route to Bajo de Masinloc.

China’s water attacks caused damage to Philippine vessels. 

The Philippine Navy on Wednesday said not only 100 but around 1,000 civilian boats should be deployed in the WPS to match the number of Chinese maritime militia vessels in the area.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion in annual ship commerce. Its territorial claims overlap with those of the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei.

Parts of the waters within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone have been renamed as West Philippine Sea (WPS).

In 2016, an international arbitration tribunal in the Hague said China's claims had no legal basis, a decision Beijing has rejected. —VAL, GMA Integrated News