(BERNARD TAGUINOD)

MISTULANG hindi kuntento ang isang mambabatas sa Kamara sa naging tugon ng administrasyon ni Pangulong Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., hinggil sa pagbomba ng tubig ng China Coast

Guard sa Philippine Coast Guard na magdadala ng supply sa Ayungin Shoal noong Sabado.

Nakukulangan si Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez dahil tanging note verbale ang ipinadala ng Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) sa Chinese Embassy bilang protesta sa naging aksyon ng kanilang Coast Guard laban sa PCG.

“I ask the President to downgrade our embassy in Beijing to show our deep indignation, anger and protest over the water cannon blast by the Chinese Coast Guard on our personnel,” ayon sa mambabatas.

Kailangan na rin umanong pauwiin ni Marcos ang Ambassador ng Pilipinas sa China na si Amb. Jaime Flor Cruz na inilarawan ni Rodriguez bilang “unusually quiet and inactive ambassador” at palitan ito ng lower-level diplomatic officer.

“We cannot allow these harassment and bullying tactics and encroachment on our maritime territory to continue. We have to take more drastic actions, instead of filing the usual diplomatic protest note,” ani Rodriguez.

Maghahain umano ang mambabatas ng resolusyon sa Kamara para kondenahin ang naging aksyon ng China laban sa PCG sa loob mismo ng 200 miles exclusive economic zone ng Pilipinas.

Sinabi naman ni Camarines Sur Rep. LRay Villafuerte na kailangan nilang ituloy ang matagal nang planong joint military patrol ng Pilipinas, United States (US) at iba pang kaalyadong bansa sa

WPS upang maproteksyunan ang ating teritoryo.

“Under the circumstances, it is my hope that such joint sails can start much sooner and possibly include other allied nations that have similarly condemned China’s illegal maneuvers and strive for peace and stability in the crucial international waterway,” ayon sa mambabatas.

Sa panig naman ng chairman ng House committee on national defense and security na si Iloilo Rep. Raul Tupas, kailangang patulungan ng international community na maresolba ang problema sa WPS.

“The situation in the seas west of the Philippines is not just a matter for Southeast Asian countries to address. Any disruption of the freedom of navigation in these waters will disrupt the global economy in possibly dangerous ways,” ayon sa kongresista.