MANILA — Pulling no punches, Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez on Monday (23 Oct 2023) strongly condemned China’s aggressive behavior in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), the most recent incident being a collision between a China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel and a Philippine resupply boat near Ayungin Shoal, well within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

The Speaker emphasized that these CCG vessel collisions with Philippine boats not only endangered the lives of those on board but also posed a significant threat to regional peace and stability.

“In the House of Representatives, we vehemently denounce China’s recent actions that resulted in the collision of its Coast Guard vessel 5203 with a privately chartered resupply vessel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” Romualdez declared in an official statement.

He called upon China to abide by international maritime laws in order to ensure the safety of all parties involved.

“Such actions not only placed the lives of those on board in jeopardy but also imperiled regional peace and stability,” Romualdez stressed.

As the president of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD), Romualdez affirmed that the Philippine government will exhaust all diplomatic channels and seek support from the international community to counter these “unlawful acts” committed by China.

“We implore China to adhere to international maritime laws and standards, exercise restraint, and ensure the safety of all vessels operating in the West Philippine Sea,” he urged.

The full text of the official Press Statement from the House of Representatives is featured below: