Resolution condemning China sea aggression filed at Senate

With Chinese aggression at sea intensifying, Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva has filed a resolution expressing the Senate’s outrage and condemning the continued "illegal and dangerous actions" of the China Coast Guard and maritime militia in Philippine waters.

- CECILLE SUERTE FELIPE

Through Resolution 980, Villanueva also urged the government to take legal and diplomatic actions against China, which has become bolder in asserting its claims in the West Philippine Sea.

"To express the sense of the Senate strongly condemning the unprovoked aggression, continued harassment, and illegal and dangerous actions in the WPS by the CCG and the Chinese maritime militia, and urging and supporting the executive branch of the Philippine government to exert all 

legal and diplomatic countermeasures against the People's Republic of China in asserting and securing the Philippines' sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea," Villanueva said, explaining his move to file the resolution.

On March 25, President Marcos signed Executive Order 57 "to comprehensively tackle" what he called cross-cutting issues that impact on the country's national security and maritime jurisdiction.

Villanueva said in his resolution that while the presidential order includes the implementation of a response and countermeasure package, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the Department of National Defense and other relevant government agencies should "exhaust and