Tinuligsa ng isang kongresista ang ginawang pagtaboy ng Chinese Coast Guard sa Pinoy TV news crew na nagsasagawa ng panayam sa Panatag Shoal (Scarborough Shoal) kamakailan.

Ayon kay Akbayan Rep. Tom Villarin, walang ibang puwedeng sisihin sa angas na ipinamamalas ng mga Chinese sa mga pinag-aagawang teritoryo.

“President (Rodrigo) Duterte is totally to blame for this provocative and uncalled for behavior by the Chinese Coast Guard,” komento ni ­Villarin.

Giit pa ng kongresista, “Panatag Shoal is ours unless it was one of the MOUs (memo­randum of understanding) signed by President Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping.”

Ayon naman kay Pama­lakaya national chairperson Fernando Hicap, nilabag ng China ang territorial rights at press freedom.

“How dare the Chinese Coast Guard deprive Filipino journalists of press freedom in our very own territory? Seems like the Chinese government is discontented with violating our territorial rights, it also wants to silence and prevent our press from exposing the actual situation in the contested waters,” pahayag ni Hicap.

Nakakainsulto umano para mga Pinoy na ang mga ­Chinese ang nagdedesisyon kung sino ang puwedeng magsagawa ng dokumentaryo sa sariling teritoryo.

“If China can prohibit Filipino journalists from one of the major local TV networks to perform their job, they can drive away Filipino fisherfolk from their traditional fishing grounds as well,” ayon pa sa Pamalakaya.
Kinakailangan umanong gumawa ng matigas na hakbang ang gobyerno ng Pilipinas tungkol dito.

Iginiit pa ng grupo na dapat magsilayas ang mga Chinese sa West Philippine Sea.