News Roundup 09 September 2023
Sep 09, 2023 • 4 min Read
AFP denounces China Coast Guard’s recent action at Ayungin Shoal as act of bullying | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Saturday strongly criticized the China Coast Guard’s (CCG) behavior in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), calling it aggressive and labeling the CCG as a “bully.”
The statement comes in the wake of escalating tensions, with the CCG recently engaging in “dangerous maneuvers” aimed at obstructing a resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal.
Colonel Medel Aguilar, the spokesperson for the AFP, did not mince words during a press conference held at the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City.
“What we see there is the presence of the CCG is misplaced and a bully,” Aguilar said at the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City. “The CCG is a misplaced bully at the WPS.”
On Friday, the AFP conducted another resupply mission to BRP Sierra Madre in the Ayungin Shoal, escorted by Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessels BRP Cabra and BRP Sindangan.
Reports indicated that two China Coast Guard ships, along with ten maritime militia vessels, made attempts to obstruct the Philippine ships.
The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) reported successful resupply mission in collaboration with the Western Command and PCG.
Full Story at: AFP denounces China Coast Guard’s recent action at Ayungin Shoal as act of bullying | Philstar.com
Fisherfolk decries plunging income after 9th straight week of oil price hikes | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — The cumulative increases in oil prices have reportedly affected the livelihood of small fisherfolk “drastically,” pushing a progressive group to reiterate their call for the repeal of the controversial Oil Deregulation Law.
Diesel and kerosene prices were up for the ninth consecutive week last September 5. It was also the eighth straight week of increases for gasoline.
According to activist fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas on Saturday, diesel prices rose by P14.4 per liter from July 11 to September 8 — marking up the fuel expenses of their sector to P173 or an average of P833 per fishing trip.
This is a huge increase from what was once just P660 per fishing operation prior to the string of hikes.
Full Story at: Fisherfolk decries plunging income after 9th straight week of oil price hikes | Philstar.com
Anti-mining coalition backs Finance Undersecretary Magno’s resignation | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM) supports the resignation of former Finance Undersecretary Maria Cielo Magno, the coalition said in its statement released on Friday.
Magno’s “outspoken and strong positions on transparency and good governance” deemed her resignation unsurprising, the statement said.
They cited the former undersecretary’s advocacy in increasing taxes of mining corporations which they claim to be clearly inconsistent with the agendas of House Speaker Martin Romualdez.
On Friday, September 8, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin accused Magno of maligning the administration.
This was strongly opposed by ATM, saying that she is just competently doing her job while serving the nation.
“We thank her for her unadulterated service to the nation,” the coalition expressed in the said statement.
Full Story at: Anti-mining coalition backs Finance Undersecretary Magno’s resignation | Inquirer News
China can’t conduct law enforcement operations on PH waters — NTF-WPS | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — China cannot conduct law enforcement operations on the waters of the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), nor does it have the authority to do so, an official from the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) said.
According to National Security Council (NSC) Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya, the NTF-WPS was firm in its stance that China does not have the power to conduct law enforcement operations in the Philippines’ EEZ.
“The National Task Force-West Philippine Sea wishes to emphasize that China has no authority or power to conduct law enforcement operations in our exclusive economic zone,” Malaya said on Saturday.
This came after the NTF-WPS said that Chinese vessels made dangerous maneuvers and harassed two Armed Forces of the Philippines boats and two Philippine Coast Guard escort ships.
The Philippine vessels were on a resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre, which is stationed on the Ayungin Shoal. The resupply mission was successful, the NTF-WPS said.
The Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) responded that its vessels were conducting law enforcement operations, which was rebuffed by Malaya.
Full Story at: China can’t conduct law enforcement operations on PH waters — NTF-WPS | Inquirer News
