Alliance steps up efforts to increase awareness on sea dispute

Video by Noy Morcoso/INQUIRER.net

After leading Independence Day protests in the cities of Manila and Makati on Friday, a newly formed alliance will step up its efforts to increase public awareness on the dispute over the resource-high islands of West Philippine Sea and the threat it poses to peace and security.

The Pilipinong Nagkaisa para sa Soberanya or “P1NAS” will organize a forum on June 25 where Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio will speak about the ongoing territorial dispute involving China and other Asian countries.

The first activity of P1NAS is a protest caravan from the Chinese consular office in Makati City to the United States Embassy in Manila as the movement vows to use “people’s diplomacy” to thwart “two most immediate threats to Philippine sovereignty,” which is Chinese expansionism and US interventionism.

Bagong Alyansang Makabayan secretary general Renato Reyes, a member of P1NAS, said the upcoming forum was part of the group’s educational campaign for the people to know the stakes of the dispute, thus increasing public involvement in the issue.

“Ito ay para pag-aralan yung claims natin sa West Philippine Sea at kung anong magagawa natin bilang mamamayan—na hindi lang ito problema ng mga diplomats, senador at sundalo,” Reyes said in an interview with INQUIRER.net.

“We have to stand up for our sovereignty against Chinese incursions but we also have to be wary of the interventions of United States,” Reyes added.

The movement is initiated by former Sen. Rene Saguisag, Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Neri Colmenares and actress Bibeth Orteza. Former Senators Leticia Ramos Shahani, a staunch advocate of an independent foreign policy, and Vic Ziga, who voted against the retention of the US bases in 1991, have also expressed support to the group.

“These two powerful countries are increasingly conniving and challenging each other in their quest for dominance in the Asia Pacific region, particularly the West Philippine Sea and surrounding waters. In such a situation, we need a vigilant, united and active citizenry to make sure we don’t lose our territory nor bargain away our sovereignty,” the group said in a statement.

They said “people power” should be mobilized to pressure China and the US to “de-escalate” the situation in the region.

Although saying that the Independence Day protests in Manila had been peaceful, Reyes shared that the mass actions of Bayan in other regions turned violent with the arrest of 13 protesters in Cavite and the dispersal of rallyists in Iloilo where President Benigno Aquino III delivered a speech. RC

Photos by Julliane Love De Jesus/INQUIRER.net