Jinggoy urges agencies to verify report Chinese ships blocked BFAR vessel
Estrada, chairperson of the Senate committee on national defense and security, peace, unification and reconciliation, expressed concern over the report, saying it is a "serious breach" of the country's sovereign rights if proven true.
"I urge the concerned agencies to validate this information, as the incident—if verified—would constitute a serious breach of our sovereign rights and harassment of a Philippine-flagged vessel conducting a legitimate monitoring mission within our own maritime domain," he said in a statement.
"Hindi natin dapat hayaan na ma-normalize ang ganitong pangliliit sa ating karapatan at ang paglalagay sa panganib ng ating mga kababayan (We should not normalize this act of belittling our rights and endangering our people)," he added.
On X (formerly Twitter), maritime security expert Ray Powell said BRP Datu Romapenet reversed course while en route to Sandy Cay after it was impeded by three Chinese ships.
"At 0745 local time, Philippine fisheries ship BRP Datu Romapenet left Pag-Asa (Thitu) Island in the direction of Sandy Cay," he said.
"It was impeded by at least 3 of China's maritime militia ships. At 9:00, it reversed course and returned to Pag-Asa. No further details yet available," he added.
Estrada said the Department of Foreign Affairs should lodge a diplomatic protest and assert the country's rights once the incident is verified.
"Our kababayans deserve nothing less than a government that firmly stands its ground in asserting our sovereignty and defending our nation's interest," he added.
GMA News Online reached out to BFAR, Philippine Coast Guard, and Philippine Navy for comment on the matter and will publish it once available.
China claims almost the entire South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion of annual ship-borne commerce, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei.
In July 2016, the UN Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, based on a case filed by Manila, junked China's nine-dash line claim covering the entire SCS. Beijing has refused to acknowledge the ruling. —Sundy Locus/AOL, GMA Integrated News
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
GMA Network
an hour ago
- GMA Network
Carpio: Senate should proceed with Sara impeachment trial if SC reverses decision
The Senate should automatically proceed with hearing the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte should the Supreme Court reverse its decision, retired Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said over the weekend. According to Carpio, the proceedings should continue if the Supreme Court rules in favor of the House of Representatives regarding its motion for reconsideration. 'Wala nang botohan 'yan because balik tayo doon sa 'Is this Constitutional?' Sinabi ng Supreme Court ngayon, kung mag-reconsider sila, 'Yes, Constitutional,' so balik doon sa provision—The same shall constitute the Articles of Impeachment and trial by the Senate shall forthwith proceed,' he said in a report by Mav Gonzales on GMA's '24 Oras Weekend' on Sunday. (There's no more voting on that because we go back to the question 'Is this Constitutional?' The Supreme Court now says that if they reconsider, 'Yes, it is Constitutional,' so we return to the provision—The same shall constitute the Articles of Impeachment and trial by the Senate shall forthwith proceed.) This comes after the Supreme Court ruled that the Articles of Impeachment against Duterte were unconstitutional, and barred by the one-year rule. The Senate has since voted to transfer the Articles of Impeachment against Duterte to the archives, with 19 votes for the matter, four against, and one abstention. GMA Integrated News Research has found that a bill that was archived during the 15th Congress—involving the synchronized elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)—but was later revived and passed into law. The public is also now awaiting the SC decision on the motion for reconsideration filed by the House of Representatives, saying it should be allowed to perform its exclusive duty to prosecute an impeachable official, and the Senate's to try to the case. If the Supreme Court rules in favor of the House of Representatives, Carpio said there is no need for a Senator to file a motion to revive the Articles of Impeachment. 'Wala na. Of course, they will debate. Let's say, the majority will say 'No, we will not revive it,' akyat ang prosecution sa Supreme Court. Sasabihin nila, 'Dapat ba i-approve pa ito ng majority ng Senate bago mag-revive o sundin na lang natin 'yung specific command of the Constitution—trial by the Senate shall forthwith proceed. I think klaro naman 'yung Constitution,' he said. (That's it. Of course, they will debate. Let's say the majority says, 'No, we will not revive it,' the prosecution will elevate it to the Supreme Court. They will ask, 'Should this still be approved by the majority of the Senate before being revived, or should we just follow the specific command of the Constitution — trial by the Senate shall forthwith proceed.' I think the Constitution is clear.) Three impeachment complaints were filed against Duterte in December 2024, all of which were connected with the alleged misuse of confidential funds. The fourth impeachment complaint, endorsed by over one-third of lawmakers from the House of Representatives, was later on transmitted to the Senate. Duterte, for her part, entered a 'not guilty' plea in the verified impeachment complaint filed against her, which she called merely a 'scrap of paper.' — BM, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
6 hours ago
- GMA Network
Tito Sotto files bill seeking full public disclosure of gov't. records, transactions
Senate Minority Leader Vicente 'Tito' Sotto III has filed a measure seeking to implement a policy for full public disclosure of government records and transactions concerning public interest. The proposed 'People's Freedom of Information Act of 2025' aims to recognize the right to information on matters of public concern. 'Transparency is the cornerstone of good governance. To foster accountability, trust and citizen participation, our Government shall provide ready and complete access to key information to the discerning public' Sotto said in a statement on Sunday. The proposed measure mandates the disclosure of specific information. particularly the annual Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN) of the following public servants: President Vice President Members of the Cabinet Members of Congress Justices of the Supreme Court Members of Constitutional Commissions and other constitutional offices Officers of the Armed Forces with General or Flag Ranks All government agencies are also directed to upload certain information on their respective websites. This includes, subject to monthly updates, a register of transactions, documents and records of its annual budget, monthly collections and disbursements, summary of income and expenditures, procurement plan and list, items to bid, and procurement contracts. However, the proposed measure noted that sensitive personal information such as race, ethnicity, origin, health records, religion, political affiliations, education, and tax returns will be kept classified. Access to information may also be denied if it compromises national security and the country's foreign affairs, among others. Government agencies are mandated to prepare a Freedom of Information Manual within six months from its effectivity. Public officials who conceal, deny, destroy, alter, tamper with, or modify information will face a penalty of imprisonment of one month to six months and a fine ranging from ?10,000 to ?100,000. 'In this modern world where data is readily available online, information about government transactions, processes and actions shall likewise be accessible to our countrymen as a matter of right,' Sotto said. Members of the Liberal Party (LP) in the House of Representatives had also refiled the FOI bill, which mandates the disclosure of SALN of the country's president, vice president, and other high-ranking government officials. — Mariel Celine Serquiña/RF, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
a day ago
- GMA Network
House vows to abide by SC ruling on MR for Sara's impeachment
The House of Representatives will abide by the Supreme Court's decision should it rule against its motion for reconsideration (MR) on its decision to declare the Articles of Impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte as unconstitutional. 'Hindi 'ho namin susuwayin 'yan, susundin namin 'yan. The House will not cause the constitutional crisis. The reason, the catalyst for the constitutional crisis will never be caused by the House,' House prosecution spokesperson Atty. Antonio Bucoy said at a news forum in Quezon City on Saturday. House Deputy Speaker Janette Garin, likewise, said the lower chamber will abide by the Supreme Court's ruling should it stand with its decision to declare Duterte's impeachment as unconstitutional. 'Definitely, kasi obligasyon namin sa taumbayan tutukan ang mga problema without bypassing accountability and working for whatever is in the interest of the general public,' Garin said. 'A constitutional crisis should not have a place in a… I think the Philippines is in the top 2 happiest people in the world, so talagang hindi siya dapat na mangyari,' she said. Voting 13-0, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously, deeming that the Articles of Impeachment are barred by the one-year rule under Article XI Section 3 paragraph 5 of the Constitution. Moreover, magistrates ruled that the articles violate the right to due process. In its appeal before the high tribunal, the House argued that the fourth impeachment complaint, signed off by 215 House members, is the only initiated impeachment case against the Vice President because it met the Constitutional requirement of the complaint being endorsed by at least one-third of the House members, which allowed the House to transmit the Articles of Impeachment straight to the Senate en route to the impeachment trial, bypassing Committee deliberations. ''Yung motion for reconsideration ay hindi ho para pagpuna, hindi po ito para itakwil. Ito ay para tawagin ang kanyang pansin upang magsumamo na bisitahin niyong muli ang inyong desisyon na sa palagay namin at inilahad namin sa aming motion for reconsideration ay mali mula letrang A hanggang letrang Z,' Bucoy said. 'Wait and see' Asked what the House's next course of action would be should the SC junk its MR, Garin said that 'hearing the legal luminaries in the House… klaro sa kanilang pananaw na talagang may basehan 'yung motion for reconsideration so we put it at that.' 'Let's wait and see what happens in the next months… I leave it to the members of the 20th Congress… Kasi sa ngayon lahat naguusap usap… These are things that we need to balance and we need to discuss…and come up with concrete statements,' Garin said. On the Senate's move to transfer to the archives the articles of impeachment against Duterte, Bucoy said, 'Hindi kami susuko na di porke't archived na ay susuko na kami.' 'Meron pang chance na dinggin pa kami. Sinabi nga ni Speaker: 'The House will not bow down.' Hindi ho kami sumusuko na sana maliwanagan ang Supreme Court at sana tumugon at sumunod ang Senado,' he said. Three motions for reconsideration have been filed with the SC against its ruling. The first was filed by some of the individuals behind the first impeachment complaint against Duterte, followed by the motion for reconsideration filed by the House of Representatives. The third motion was filed by the 1Sambayan coalition, including Carpio-Morales and Carpio, previously filed a motion for reconsideration with the SC on its ruling. They asked the SC to issue a status quo ante order and to set the case for oral arguments. —VAL, GMA Integrated News
