“Please leave immediately.”
This is what a Philippine military aircraft heard over the radio during an aerial patrol in the Julian Felipe Reef.
China has illegally occupied Philippine-claimed territories. 250 vessels are believed to have been operating with the Manila-claimed islands in the disputed South China Sea.
In a statement earlier this Wednesday, March 31, Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate expressed his concern regarding the situation in the West Philippine Sea. With China driving a Philippine military aircraft out of their illegally-occupied territory, Zarate pointed out that China is intimidating the Philippines with their military power.
“This is glaring proof that the Chinese maritime militia fleet is not there because of a weather disturbance but as a prelude to fully occupying Julian Felipe Reef, do reclamation activities and convert it into another artificial island-cum-military installation, like what they did to at least seven of our reefs,” said Zarate.
“Now there seems to be a concerted push by China to grab or at least cordon the islands in the West Philippine Sea as the National Task Force for West PH Sea now just issued a statement that the Chinese vessels have dispersed to other areas in the Kalayaan Island Group and West Philippine Sea,” he added.
Zarate further urged the Duterte administration to act on the situation before it further causes more disagreement.
“At this rate, they seem to be trying to occupy all the islands in the West Philippine Sea and the Philippine government should act now,” said Zarate.
With media reports exposing the occupation of China in Philippine territories, several celebrities and personalities were enraged by the action done by Duterte’s BFF.
ABS-CBN actress Agot Isidro blamed Duterte for allowing such treason. According to the actress, the islands were sacrificial lamb for the donation of vaccines to the Philippines. This act of China reflects towards Duterte, holding him accountable for treason as well.
Writer Jerry B. Grácio was enraged by how Chinese vessels warned the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to refrain from patrolling. The writer was mad about how China could push the AFP from patrolling its own soil. Grácio also took a jab at the administration who only has the courage to fight its countrymen but is afraid of China.
Winawarningan tayo ng China na huwag mag-patrol sa sarili nating teritoryo? Ang kakapal ng mukha! Tas OK lang sa AFP na bastusin sila, warningan at palayasin? Ke tatapang sa laban sa kapwa Filipino, pero takót sa Chinese. https://t.co/45QbdJCCk7
— Jerry B. Grácio (@JerryGracio) March 31, 2021
Paeng Lopez called out Foreign Affairs Sec. Teodoro Locsin Jr. was seen scolding protesters in front of the building of his department. Lopez urged Locsin to redirect his rage to the biggest threat in Philippine sovereignty—China.
https://twitter.com/paengLopez/status/1377058680470863879
Twitter personality EJ Serrano also took a swipe at Duterte for making enemies inside the Philippines. Serrano even urged the President to divert his attention to driving the Chinese out of Philippine territory.
Anuna Duts? Stop making an enemy out of your countrymen and redirect your attention to where it actually matters. Friends with China my ass. https://t.co/nsY54amtgg
— EJ Serrano (@ejontheedge) March 31, 2021
Broadcaster JM Reyes condemned the illegal action of China in occupying Philippine islands and reefs. Reyes wrote that those territories are Philippine-owned.
Imagine being heckled right in your own property. Atin 'to. https://t.co/aakmHO298j
— JM Reyes ✈ (@jmsantosreyes) March 31, 2021
ABS-CBN employee Clarence Alvarado was also insinuated by how Duterte speaks highly of China. Yet, the nation which the Philippine president is proud of currently occupies territories that are not their own, to begin with.
https://twitter.com/rency0722/status/1377126848425959425
Fellow Kapamilya journalist Anjo Bagaoisan also stressed that the Julian Felpe Reef is part of the Philippines. He wrote, “Teritoryo natin ‘to” to further prove his point that the reef is not of China, but the Philippines.
Teritoryo natin 'to. https://t.co/35kGRN06Xa
— Anjo Bagaoisan (@anjo_bagaoisan) March 31, 2021
With many netizens alarmed by the occupation of China along the waters of the Philippines, the League of Filipino Students has called out the aggression of Duterte’s BFF on the Julian Felipe Reef.
The League raises alarm on the aggressive and illegal occupation of Chinese forces on the Julian Felipe Reef. Yesterday, during a maritime inspection, the AFP were demanded by Chinese forces to “leave immediately”.#AtinAngPinas#ChinaLayas https://t.co/rHk7enxtEa pic.twitter.com/c0zJBPNNMT
— League of Filipino Students (@LFSPhilippines) March 31, 2021
Former PTV-4 host Jules Guiang also ridiculed Duterte and his flowery words. It can be recalled that Duterte promised change, even having a slogan that says, “Tapang at Malasakit,” which in turn made Filipinos hope for a better country. Almost 16 million voters voted for Duterte. But fast forward to the present, Duterte bowed down to China, and let his countrymen suffer the harsh effects of the pandemic.
Sa 16m na bumoto, maaaring maraming naenganyo dahil sa “matapang” na pangakong ito. Ito pa nga siguro yung isa sa mga foundations ng kanilang “Tapang at Malasakit” na slogan. Pero 5 years down, walang katapangan, lalong walang malasakit. Malas lang. pic.twitter.com/7qVRgO4pBf
— Jules Guiang (@julesguiang) March 31, 2021
The Chinese embassy in Manila last week dismissed the allegations that the 200 ships spotted in the Julian Felipe Reef are part of China’s militia. According to the embassy, they were merely fishing vessels taking refuge from rough seas.
