Militants silent on Chinese incursions in Spratlys

Chinese aggression is alarming, but the silence of certain left-leaning militants is equally deafening.

Certain activists critical of just about any issue involving an incumbent Philippine administration and the United States have been curiously quiet over China’s reported incursions in the disputed Spratly Islands.

Much of the protests from Malacañang and the military concern reports that Chinese authorities had been driving away fishing and oil exploration vessels from countries also claiming the territory, whether in whole or in part.

Akbayan, a militant organization now allied with the Aquino administration, on Wednesday announced that it would stage a protest at the Chinese Consulate in Makati City at 10 a.m. Thursday. Akbayan described itself as “the only left-leaning political party that stood up on the Spratlys issue.”

Provocative intrusions

“As a Filipino political party, we cannot allow another country—just because it is bigger and has a stronger military—would disregard our claim,” Risa Hontiveros, Akbayan spokesperson, told the Inquirer by phone.

“While we have competing claims that have yet to be settled, all this time, we have shown good faith in trying to resolve the issue peacefully. So if there are incursions, we can’t just ignore them. We feel we have to say something,” Hontiveros said.

Akbayan said it would “demand an end to the Chinese government’s provocative military intrusions into the West Philippine Sea even as it calls on all stakeholders to resolve the crisis through peaceful and diplomatic means.”

The group also wanted a “demilitarization of the disputed areas and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) to make its presence felt on the matter and restore regional stability and harmony.”

Akbayan promised to mobilize 100 members for the rally.

Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) broke its silence on the Spratlys issue on Independence Day, warning that the United States was “out to take advantage of the situation to advance its own political, military and economic agenda in the region.”

“More than a hundred years after the declaration of Philippine independence, the Philippine government is still tugging at the coat tails of Uncle Sam, allowing the US government to constantly interfere in and take advantage of the Philippines,” Bayan said in a statement.

Bayan and Akbayan are separated by ideological differences on issues such as human rights and agrarian reform.

Auction slammed

Joining the fray, the leftist fisherfolk group Pamalakaya on Wednesday called on President Aquino to call off the planned auction of contracts for the exploration and development of 15 potential petroleum blocks in the Western Philippine Sea.

Pamalakaya chair Fernando Hicap noted that eight of the 15 offshore contracts up for bidding can be found within the Northwest and East Palawan basins, which he claimed were near the disputed Spratlys group of islands.

Hicap said in a statement that the blocks near the oil and gas search near Spratlys were Areas 3, 4 and 5, all in Northwest Palawan; and Blocks 8, 9, 10 and 13, located in East Palawan.

“The Aquino administration should recall this mind-boggling and provocative undertaking and resort to collective diplomacy among claimant nations,” Hicap said. With a report from Amy R. Remo