House Deputy Minority Leader and Mamamayang Liberal party-list Rep. Leila de Lima said the latest assault of the China Coast Guard (CCG) on Filipino fishermen in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) is “utterly outrageous and deeply concerning.”
De Lima issued her statement of condemnation on Sunday after a CCG vessel deliberately fired water cannons at Filipino fishing boats that injured three fishers near Escoda Shoal. The foreign ship also conducted “dangerous maneuvers” against Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessels.
“Beyond the destruction of boats and the deprivation of our fishermen’s livelihoods within our territory, the China Coast Guard placed the lives of our fellow Filipinos in grave danger,” De Lima said in Filipino.
The attack happened two days after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. accepted the credentials of new Chinese ambassador to the Philippines Jing Quan. China expectedly justified its actions even as international laws already established that its expansive claims on the South China Sea are illegal.
A group of lawmakers also condemned the dangerous and unlawful use of high-pressure water cannons by the CCG against Filipino fishing boats in the West Philippine Sea on Dec. 12, 2025.
In a joint statement on Saturday, House Deputy Speakers Paolo Ortega V and Jefferson Khonghun with Deputy Majority Leaders Zia Alonto Adiong and Ernix Dioniso called out China for tolerating its coast guard’s irresponsible behavior at sea.
“This reckless aggression targeted nearly two dozen Filipino fishing boats lawfully operating within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, endangering the lives and livelihoods of ordinary fishermen, who are merely providing for their families,” the lawmakers said of China’s harassment.
The House leaders noted that the CCG’s provocative actions violate international laws that “unequivocally affirm the Philippines’ sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea,” adding that such incidents “undermine regional peace and stability” that must therefore not be tolerated.
Escoda, or ‘Sabina’ Shoal, is 75 nautical miles (140 kilometers) from Palawan, which fall within the 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone of the Philippines. China claims the area despite it being roughly 600 to 650 nautical miles (1,100 to 1,200 kilometers) from its mainland.
The lawmakers also expressed their solidarity with the injured fishers. “Their courage in pursuing their traditional fishing grounds despite such threats embodies the resilience of the Filipino people. We pray for their swift recovery and stand ready to support any necessary assistance,” they said.
The lawmakers, meanwhile, thanked the PCG for coming to the aid of the fishermen and handling this latest episode in the ongoing maritime dispute with “unwavering professionalism and dedication.”
They called on the international community to hold China accountable for its escalating aggression and urge a return to rules-based dialogue.
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated. Originally posted with the headline “Solon condemns China’s targeting of Filipino fishermen.”
