TINAWAG na squatter ng isang mangingisda mula sa Masinloc, Zambales ang China kasabay ng paghimok sa Chinese coast guard na itigil ang ilegal na aktibidad sa West Philippine Sea.

Nagtrending ang hashtag #SquatterChina kasunod ng pahayag ni Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro bilang tugon sa akusasyon ni Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning hinggil sa ilegal umanong pag-okupa ng Pilipinas sa Pag-asa Island.

Ang Pag-asa Island ay 174 miles west of Palawan at tahanan ng maliit na komunidad ng mga Pilipino.

It is among the islands and reefs within the South China Sea that China claims to be part of its territory despite the 2016 arbitration case the Philippines won before the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague.

Asked about the most recent attempt of a Chinese ship to cut off a Philippine navy vessel near Pag-asa Island, Teodoro said he could no longer say it was “an isolated incident.”

“On my end, President Marcos’ instructions are whatever happens… we will never stop with our operations in the West Philippine Sea,” he said.

(Danny Bacolod)