Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, August 9) — Aside from the usual diplomatic protests, Senator Risa Hontiveros said the government has other options to express its displeasure regarding the Chinese Coast Guard firing of water cannon at Philippine vessels on a resupply mission to BRP Sierra Madre on Ayungin Shoal.
“Economically din pwedeng iparamdam ng Pilipinas ‘yung displeasure natin at ‘yung pagkundena natin sa ganitong mga illegal actions,” Hontiveros told CNN Philippines’ The Source on Wednesday.
[Translation: Economically the Philippines can also express our displeasure at condemning of illegal actions like these.]
READ: Senators push for executive session amid water cannon incident
According to Hontiveros, this would not be the first time for the Philippine government to undertake an economic approach. She noted that former Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez during the Duterte administration terminated the loan application process for infrastructure projects funded by the Chinese Communications Construction Company Limited (CCCC).
Projects covered were the Davao-Digos Rail segment, the Calamba-Matnog long haul rail, and the Subic-Clark Rail.
However, this has resumed during the Marcos administration, Hontiveros said.
The opposition senator also urged her colleagues in the upper chamber to pass her pending resolution filed in 2022 that seeks to look into reclamation projects across the country. Concerns have been raised over CCCC’s ties to Manila Bay reclamation projects and the building of artificial islands in the South China Sea.
Hontiveros was referring to Senate Resolution No. 300 that seeks to direct the appropriate Senate committee to investigate in aid of legislation the reported large-scale land reclamation projects being undertaken across the country.
Hontiveros said that the Chinese state firm is disguising to be a legitimate business, but it is only helping China with its “creeping invasion.”
According to the senator, CCCC appears to be holding two of the six approved reclamation projects in Manila Bay. The company also worked with the Chinese maritime militia in destroying coral reefs in the West Philippine Sea, she added.
“Mas timely pa ngayon na dinigin na sana itong resolusyon not just to show our displeasure against these hostile actions of China against us in the West Philippine Sea pero para din isalba ‘yung ating kalikasan,” she said.
[Translation: It’s timely now to hear this resolution not just to show our displeasure against these hostile actions of China against us in the West Philippine Sea but also to save our environment.]
Earlier, the US Embassy said in a statement that CCCC was included in the US Department of Commerce’s Entity List for helping build the artificial islands.
