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IN THE CURRENT escalation of Chinese tirades against Filipino authorities, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea (WPS), Commodore Jay Tarriela, condemned “Filipino trolls.”
These trolls appear to be echoing China’s narrative that the Philippine government is the one causing problems of harassment in parts of the West Philippine Sea (WPS) claimed by Beijing as part of its territory.
Tarriela lamented that, indeed, there are Filipino trolls — some well-known social media influences and other under the pay followers of identified pro-China politicians who are currently being used as puppets in amplifying the China’s side of the story instead of the truth.
“Ang ikinalulungkot ko, may mga (. . .) Pilipino, who are fanatics ng kilala naman nating (mga) politikong sinusuportahan nila,” the PCG commandant enthused.
ARE THEY FILIPINOS?
“Pilipino ba kayo?. While the Chinese government is exerting all possibilities para mapigilan ang ating transparency efforts, mayroon pa ring mga Pilipino na sumasawsaw at nakikisali sa usaping ito at hindi pumapanig sa atin, sa Pilipinas,” he added.
Tarriela tagged China’s claim that PCG vessels pushed away a Chinese Coast Guard while it rescued the crew of the fishing boat M/V Devon Bay near Scarborough Shoal.
The troll accounts, he said, are either made by foreigners or Filipinos being paid to besmirch the PCG’s efforts to defend the country’s territories, particularly the exclusive economic zones where local fishermen harvest their source of livelihood.
Last week, the Chinese Embassy in Manila called out the PCG for posting images on social media “attacking and smearing Chinese leaders.”
In reply, however, Tarriela stood firm on his stance opposing China’s aggression in the WPS, saying that there’s no need for him to apologize to the Chinese government.
“Para sa akin, they are just overreacting. Making use of the caricature that (we) posted as a basis for them to stop transparency for good,” the PCG official opined.
GET OUT OF PH!!!
Meanwhile, Senator Erwin Tulfo and cause-oriented groups denounced the Chinese Embassy’s accusation against Tarriela with the senator citing that the Chinese can leave the country if they “do not like how democracy works in the Philippines.”
“You have no right to censure our officials for their statements about you taking away our territory—territory that has been proven to be ours,” Tulfo pointed out.
“If you want respect from Filipinos, then respect our Constitution. Respect our officials. Respect our freedom of speech. And respect the simple truth that this is not your country.”
Civic groups Alyansa ng Bantay sa Kapayapaan at Demokrasya (ABKD), People’s Alliance for Democracy and Reforms (PADER), Liga Independencia Pilipinas (LIPI) and Filipinos Do Not Yield Movement (FDNY) led by civic leader Dr. Jose Antonio Goitia likewise lambasted the Chinese Embassy deputy spokesperson Guo Wei for alleging that Tarriela has been making fallacious remarks on the South China Sea issue.
Goitia underscored that defending the West Philippine Sea is a legal and national imperative which is now being undermined sadly by misinterpretations from Chinese authorities supported by some Filipinos.
He zeroed in on the account of a respected online columnist who reflected Beijing’s position that the term “West Philippine Sea” lacks legal weight and that the country’s EEZ is open and China’s actions are justified by duty and the arbitral ruling is not binding as the previous administration of the late President Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III erred in seeking arbitration.