Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan has urged the Department of Foreign Affairs to take all legal and diplomatic steps to hold China accountable after a Philippine Navy officer was reportedly assaulted by the China Coast Guard at Ayungin Shoal.
Pangilinan called on the DFA to immediately file a diplomatic protest, raise the incident before ASEAN and allied countries, and invoke the 2016 Arbitral Award.
“At gamitin ang lahat ng ligal at diplomatikong paraan… upang papanagutin ang China,” the senator said.
He stressed that the Philippines has every right to conduct lawful missions within its exclusive economic zone under international law.
The DFA, Department of National Defense, and the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea have condemned the reported attack on the Navy personnel.IMT
