Senator Riza Hontiveros did not mince words in criticizing China’s statement, saying that Beijing is actively censoring the truth.

A Chinese maritime expert said the Philippines should pay for damages to Chinese vessels following Monday’s Scarborough Shoal collision involving two of Beijing's vessels.

“Instead of owning up to its actions, it is now covering up its maritime mishap in the West Philippine Sea by spreading disinformation. Kahiya-hiya kasi ang nangyaring banggaan ng mga barko nila, kaya kung ano-anong propaganda na lang ang pinapakalat,” she said in a statement.

Also on Friday, Foreign Affairs Secretary Theresa Lazaro maintained that the Philippines bears no responsibility for the collision between the [People's Liberation Army Navy] vessel and the CCG vessel in Bajo de Masinloc.

"It was an unfortunate outcome, but not one caused by our actions," Lazaro said.

Moreover, Hontiveros stressed that even the Chinese state media did not report on the collision of their two maritime vessels.

She called out Chinese mouthpieces who have been accusing the Philippines of deliberately provoking the incident and saying the Philippines must “pay” for it.

“Ang kakapal din talaga ng mukha. Kung sino pa ang may atraso, sila pa ang may ganang maningil. In reality, it is China that should, literally, pay reparations for the environmental destruction they have caused in our waters. I had previously filed Proposed Senate Resolution No. 369, urging China to pay nearly P20 billion in damages, and I will refile this resolution in the current 20th Congress,” Hontiveros said when asked by the DAILY TRIBUNE about the Chinese maritime expert’s reaction to the incident.

She stressed that China should pay for all the deliberate aggression it has inflicted on Filipino troops, from degrading the Philippines’ sovereignty to spreading lies and false narratives.

“The truth is: China used a PLAN vessel in an attempt to ram, and perhaps even sink, our Coast Guard ship. And they would probably have left our PCG personnel in the water, like they did our fisherfolk before, unlike the PCG, which offered to help their men overboard. All like-minded countries should ensure that the Chinese government is held accountable for its coercive actions in the West Philippine Sea,” the lady Senator said.