Senators slam China over Sandy Cay 'seizure'
Philippine News Agency
By Wilnard Bacelonia
April 28, 2025, 2:27 pm
MANILA -- Senators on Monday lashed out at China over its alleged seizure of Sandy Cay, branding it an "outrageous assault" on Philippine sovereignty and calling for urgent diplomatic and defensive action.
Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada said the Philippines must "firmly establish the truth" behind China's claims.
"If these claims are proven to be unfounded, it is another attempt to distort reality and spread fake news," he said in a statement, urging authorities to swiftly address any violation of the country's territorial integrity.
Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino condemned the occupation as a blatant intrusion into Philippine territorial waters.
"This brazen intrusion must be met by the strongest diplomatic and defensive measures. The West Philippine Sea belongs to the Filipino people. No intimidation, no act of aggression can ever change that," he said.
Senate Deputy Majority Leader Risa Hontiveros dismissed China's actions as nothing more than a "photoshoot gimmick," accusing Beijing of manufacturing drama to bolster its baseless claims.
"International law affirms that Sandy Cay is part of the West Philippine Sea," Hontiveros said in another statement, warning that China's aggressive moves threaten not just Sandy Cay but the nearby Pag-asa Island and Filipino fishing rights.
"No amount of island-hopping by the Chinese Coast Guard will muddle the truth: Sandy Cay belongs to the Philippines," she added.
The senators pressed for immediate diplomatic protest and intensified maritime patrols. (PNA)
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