The Philippine senators on Saturday expressed opposition to China's most recent "dangerous attack and harassment" against the Philippine supply ship while on a rotation and reprovisioning mission in Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea last 10 November.

Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri strongly condemned the Chinese Coast Guard's blocking maneuvers and the use of water canon against Philippine supply boats, saying China is behaving like "a bully."

"In this latest incident, we again see China as a bully: using size and brute strength to illegally encroach upon our EEZ (exclusive economic zone) and enforce a baseless right to drive away our protectors," Zubiri said.

"But water cannons and blockades will not dampen the will and resolve of our Navy and our Coast Guard to protect our exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea," he added.

Zubiri underscored that China could not justify their aggression "under the guise of defense when their ships are clearly and disproportionately larger and more advanced" than the Philippines.

"We remind the Chinese Coast Guard that no amount of aggression can undo the fact that the Chinese government's claims to the WPS have already been invalidated by the Permanent Court of Arbitration," he said.

Meanwhile, Senator Jinggoy Estrada said the government should seriously consider heeding the adopted Senate Resolution 79—which recommends several courses of action over China's repeated aggression in the WPS.

Estrada said one of which is the filing of a resolution before the United Nations General Assembly to call for the cessation of all activities that harass Philippine vessels and violate the Filipinos' established rights in the WPS.

"In a show of solidarity, my colleagues and I crossed party lines in unanimously passing this resolution which calls out China for its repeated incursions in the WPS and incessant harassment of Filipino fishermen, patrol vessels, and resupply mission teams," he noted.

Estrada said the recent developments in the WPS, involving China's unlawful acts and increasing aggressions against the Philippine vessels "are leaving us with no other recourse but to take appropriate action in asserting and securing our sovereign rights over our exclusive economic zone."

He said the government should make a solid effort to stop China's countless unlawful activities in the WPS.

"We have, countless times already, employed diplomatic modes in dealing with China insofar as exercising our sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction over the WPS," he added.

Estrada emphasized that the Philippines has always been guided by the rule of law in claiming its maritime entitlements.

"Sa hindi na mabilang na insidente sa WPS, hindi ni minsan tayo gumawa ng mga hakbang gaya ng mga pambu-bully nila sa atin. At minsan na rin nasabi ni Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, sa isang virtual forum ng Chinese embassy sa Manila noong January 17, na: 'This is not a proper way for neighbors to treat each other'," he said.

Senator Risa Hontiveros has criticized China's pattern of abuse which has become the primary cause of increasing tension in the WPS.

"China is an abuser. Dapat ang ginagawa sa abusado, ipinatitigil (Abuser should be stopped). It is unfortunate that while this recent incident is alarming, it is not entirely surprising. This pattern of abuse is one that China has mastered and will continue to follow without remorse," she said.

She added that China's bullying only aggravates international relations and that instead of promoting peace, it seems to favor conflict.

"Paulit-ulit din ang pag-giit ng Tsina na kanya daw ang ating karagatan. Abuser na, gaslighter pa (China has repeatedly insisted that our ocean is theirs. They're not just abuser, they're gaslighter too)," Hontiveros lamented.

Senator Francis Tolentino called China's continuing dangerous actions in the WPS a "modern maritime piracy."

He said China's unlawful activities are posing a direct threat to international peace and security as well as undermining the principle of maritime safety for the navigators in the South China Sea.

"The continuous breach of China's obligations under international law covering maritime affairs is hard to explain, while its motivations may be clear. Is this modern-day maritime piracy," he said.

Senator Win Gatchalian, meanwhile, reiterated the need to legislate the establishment of the Philippine maritime zone to "strengthen and help enforce" the country's claim over the WPS, as affirmed by a 2016 arbitral ruling.