By Atty. Howie Calleja
As seen in a video shown by the Philippine Coast Guard, two larger Chinese vessels were seen firing water cannons from opposite sides of our Philippine ship. The Philippine Coast Guard said the event occurred as one of its ships and a fisheries agency vessel carried out a “legitimate patrol” near Scarborough
Shoal is a rocky outcrop 130 miles (200 kilometers) west of the main Philippine Island of Luzon and inside Manila’s exclusive economic zone.
Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela said in the report: “The Philippine vessels encountered dangerous maneuvers and obstruction from four China Coast Guard vessels and six Chinese Maritime Militia vessels. (The Philippine Coast Guard ship) suffered damage to the railing and canopy”. Gladly no injuries were reported.
Actor John Wayne said, “Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway.” It’s that strength to endeavor into, persist through, and endure the danger. That’s physical courage — Courage Under Fire. In these situations (against the mighty Chinese Naval Force), there is not an absence of fear. It would be only natural to be fearful. But what makes one face these circumstances aren’t being fearless but moving forward into the fight regardless of one’s fears.
In 2 Timothy 1:7 scripture says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” Our Service Men and Women had the physical and moral courage to confront the challenges posed against our nation’s sovereignty? Becoming, and living as patriot of our motherland is not for the fainthearted or the weak. It takes both physical and moral courage. It requires heroic effort. And we won’t let you fight that fight alone. We come along side as compatriots to support and encourage one another.
Sadly, water cannon on coast guard ships whose primary purpose is for life saving measures vis-à-vis burning ships has now been used as a tool of aggression and harassment — a deadly shift from its peaceful purpose to a much lethal end. But let it be clear, the Philippines has a sovereign right over the West Philippine Sea and clothed in both domestic and international law with the legal jurisdiction to protect,preserve and fight for the rights and resources in that area — a cause worth fighting for.
As such, we continue to commend our brave men and women of the Philippine Coast Guard together with all those who fight and stand for our motherland in the West Philippine Sea; and though unhappily there are still a handful of Filipinos who are mouth pieces and propagandist of China; who would sell the Philippines for a few pieces of silver, I still believe that in courage there will be a great majority of Filipinos who will be noted for their brave acts and nobility of character.