Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada on Wednesday condemned the China Coast Guard (CCG)’s latest hostile act in the West Philippine Sea, after it used water cannons against the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessel BRP Datu Gumbay Piang, causing damage to the ship and injuring at least one crew member
Estrada called the incident “a blatant display of China’s disregard for international law, our sovereign rights, and the safety of our countrymen,” as tensions continue to escalate in the disputed Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal) area.
“This must be denounced without equivocation. Atin ang Bajo de Masinloc, kaya’t may karapatan ang ating mga tripulante na magsagawa ng misyon para sa ating mga mangingisda (Bajo de Masinloc is ours, so our crew has the right to carry out missions for the benefit of our fishermen),” Estrada said, asserting the Philippines' legal and sovereign rights over the area.
The BRP Datu Gumbay Piang was reportedly conducting a routine supply and monitoring mission to support Filipino fisherfolk when it was intercepted and attacked by the CCG using high-pressure water cannons, damaging the vessel and injuring a crew member.
The incident follows a string of similar aggressive maneuvers by China in recent months, targeting not just Philippine military vessels but also civilian and fisheries missions.
Estrada reiterated the Philippines’ legal victory in the 2016 Hague ruling, which invalidated China’s expansive claims in the South China Sea under its so-called “nine-dash line.”
“Hindi mabubura ng kanilang paggigipit at pananakot ang katotohanang nasa panig natin ang batas at kinatigan tayo ng Arbitral Tribunal sa pagtatanggol ng ating mga karapatan (Their harassment and intimidation cannot erase the truth that the law is on our side and that the Arbitral Tribunal has ruled in our favor in defending our rights),” he said.
Estrada urged the Philippine government to respond decisively, calling for “all necessary diplomatic and legal measures” to be taken against China’s latest provocation.
He also appealed to the international community to “take serious note” of the incident and to uphold the rule of law in the region.
“I likewise call on our government to pursue all necessary diplomatic and legal measures, and to stand firmly with the crew of the BRP Datu Gumbay Piang. Their courage reflects our collective resolve to never yield an inch of what is rightfully ours,” Estrada emphasized.
Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal, lies well within the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and has long been a flashpoint in Manila’s maritime dispute with Beijing.
Despite the 2016 international tribunal ruling in favor of the Philippines, China has continued to assert control over the area, often using coercive tactics such as blockades, maritime militia deployments, and water cannon attacks.