Zubiri: Send Xilian packing

Senate President Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri yesterday urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to send home China's Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian amid increasing tension in the West Philippine Sea.

The China Coast Guard used water cannons to attack Philippine vessels Saturday and Sunday in separate parts of the WPS.

"I urge President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. to send the current Chinese ambassador home. He has done nothing to address the continuing attacks of his government on our troops and our people," Zubiri said.

On Sunday, the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea reported that the China Coast Guard fired a water cannon to obstruct the country's resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal, seriously damaging one of its ships' engines.

On Saturday, the CCG blasted a water cannon at three Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources vessels in the Scarborough Shoal, locally known as Bajo de Masinloc. The BFAR ships were bringing supplies to Filipino fishermen in the area when attacked.

Heartless

Zubiri denounced the twin water cannon blasting incidents in the West Philippine Sea. "I strongly condemn the latest attack of Chinese ships on Philippine government vessels in the West Philippine Sea," he said.

The Senate president said China's aggressive actions showed it is "heartless."

"The Philippine vessels that were attacked by water cannons are from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, and they were providing supplies to Filipino fishermen near Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal," he said.

"This time, China not only caused us great damage to property, but they also put Filipino lives at risk," he added. "This was a humanitarian mission, and still China chose to attack them. They have no heart."

It was not the first time the CCG attempted to block and harass resupply missions by the Philippines. In August, the CCG also used a water cannon and carried out dangerous maneuvers against Philippine vessels led by the Philippine Coast Guard while en route for a resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre.