Chinese warships continue to harass Philippine vessels in the areas near the Bajo de Masinloc whichbthey have declared as a 'nature reserve'. (Photo from Times of India)
By Tracy Cabrera
Just as invasion is the true and tried weapon in the hands of capital against the class struggle, so on the other hand the fearless pursuit of the class struggle has always proven the most effective preventative of foreign invasions.
— German politician and revolutionary socialist Karl Paul August Friedrich Liebknecht
“The sea cannot be guarded by those who in reality destroyed it.”
This was the pronouncement of civic leader Dr. Jose Antonio ‘Ka Pep’ Goitia, following reports on China’s claim that they have established the area surrounding Bajo de Masinloc as a ‘nature reserve’.
No less than national security adviser Secretary Eduardo Año issued a sharp rebuke to this latest development, saying that this is in direct violation of Philippine sovereignty as the area is an integral part of the country’s territories.
Moreover, the vast expanse of sea here has been threatened with complete destruction and its marine resources lost due to the incessant activities of Chinese vessels who have been found to be conducting regular fishing trips and mineral sourcing in Bajo de Masinloc.
“The irony is clear, since 2016, evidence has shown large-scale harvesting of endangered species and reef destruction by Chinese fishermen, activities even cited by the (international) arbitral tribunal. To now claim stewardship over an ecosystem that they themselves have damaged is both contradictory and misleading,” Año pointed out.
Dr. Goitia, chairman emeritus of the Alyansa ng Bantay sa Kapayapaan at Demokrasya (ABKD), People’s Alliance for Democracy and Reforms (PADER), Liga Independencia Pilipinas (LIPI) and Filipinos Do Not Yield (FDNY) Movement, echoed the national security adviser’s warning, stressing that “how can those who ravaged the reef now call themselves its protectors?”
“(This) is hypocrisy of the highest order and worse, their actions are not just destroying corals or fish, they are destroying Filipino lives, our very ability to put food on the table,” he enthused.
“Go to Subic and you will see the truth. Boats left to rot on the shore, fathers taking odd jobs in construction, families abandoning a tradition that has sustained them for generations. These are not isolated cases. They are the human cost of China’s aggression and environmental destruction,” he added.
Developments in the contested are has further highlighted the contradictions as confrontations between Chinese patrol and fishing vessels and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and local fishermen continue to escalate.
On Tuesday, September 16, a new maritime encounter unfolded after Philippine and Chinese ships reportedly collided near Bajo de Masinloc. Beijing accused Manila of “provocative acts,” but the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and PCG denounced China’s so-called “regulatory measures” as illegal harassment within the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
Reports also confirmed that even a humanitarian mission to deliver fuel and provisions to Filipino fishermen faced aggressive actions from nine Chinese vessels.
“China’s claim of establishing a ‘nature reserve’ is a contrived legal excuse,” Goitia cited. “By invoking the language of conservation, Beijing is trying to mask its true intent, to justify the deployment not only of coast guard ships but even warships, and to tighten its grip on waters that are rightfully within our Exclusive Economic Zone.”
This would result, he asserted, in more harassment of our fishermen and government vessels, more displacement of our people and a blatant violation of international law.”
The civic leader stressed that such actions by China cannot overturn the 2016 Arbitral Award or the ruling of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) that favors Philippine claims in the disputed areas of the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
“China’s so-called ‘reserve’ is a cover for an unlawful occupation. The world must see through this deception, because it is not about protecting the sea, it is about illegally taking it,” he said.
“This is the clearest proof of China’s duplicity. They speak of reserves and protection, but what they practice is coercion and violence. Even humanitarian missions for our fishermen are not spared from harassment. Every collision, every water cannon, is another nail in the coffin of their false narrative,” he further stated.
In ending, Goitia called on both government and civil society to rally behind fishing communities, through urgent measures such as fuel subsidies, modernized boats and guaranteed access to traditional fishing grounds. But beyond immediate relief, he likewise underscored the need for unity in standing firm against China’s deceptive claims.
“The sea cannot be guarded by those who destroyed it. Only the Filipino fishermen, who have loved, respected, and lived by it, can truly be its stewards. And it is our duty as a nation to defend them,” he repeated to conclude.
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