Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Article (news)

Marilyn Cahatol

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1777861631764688279073_122229690962269218_4796798601930048448_n.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Akbayan Party-list Rep. Dadah Kiram Ismula on Sunday plants the Philippine flag on Pag-asa Island Cay 2. <em>Photo courtesy of Atin Ito Coalition</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA (<strong>UPDATE</strong>) — The six-day Atin Ito mission, which included a &quot;patriotic jetski flag ride&quot; and the planting of the Philippine flag in the West Philippine Sea, has been described as an &quot;infringement of territorial sovereignty&quot; by the Chinese government. </p><p>Deputy Spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy Guo Wei said the Tiexian Jiao, China&#x27;s name for Pag-asa Cay 2, is part of China&#x27;s Nansha Islands and is an uninhabited reef. </p><p>&quot;The Philippines&#x27; dispatch of personnel to illegally land on the reef constitutes an infringement of China&#x27;s territorial sovereignty and violates relevant provisions of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC),&quot; Wei said. </p><p>He added: &quot;China will continue to take necessary measures in accordance with the law, resolutely safeguard the country&#x27;s territorial sovereignty, and firmly uphold the sanctity of the DOC.&quot;</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/4/30/atin-ito-mission-opens-with-lupang-hinirang-before-west-philippine-sea-sail-off-1033">READ: Atin Ito mission opens with ‘Lupang Hinirang’ before West Philippine Sea sail-off</a></div><p>Members of the Atin Ito coalition, including volunteers, fisherfolk leaders, artists, and reporters, had gathered to launch their fourth civilian mission dubbed &quot;Balik-Pag-asa.&quot; </p><p>As part of the mission, Akbayan Party-list Rep. Dadah Kiram Ismula on Sunday rode a jetski and planted the Philippine flag on Pag-asa Island Cay 2, asserting the Philippines&#x27; sovereign rights in the disputed islands.</p><p>The initiative is led by Atin Ito co-convenor and mission commander Rafaela &quot;Paeng&quot; David and brings together around 180 participants traveling aboard the main vessel and its support boat ML Chowee. The voyage is scheduled to run from April 30 to May 5. </p><p>Organizers said the activity also carried political undertones, referencing an unfulfilled campaign promise by former President Rodrigo Duterte to ride a jetski to assert the country&#x27;s claims in the contested waters. </p><p>Atin Ito leaders emphasized that the mission builds on previous civilian-led efforts in the West Philippine Sea, reflecting what they describe as a deliberate move to &quot;step up&quot; civilian presence in the area. </p><p>David also stressed that Pag-asa Island and its surrounding features, including Sandy Cay 2, are part of Philippine territory under local administration.</p><p>&quot;Klaro naman na ang Pag-asa island ay integral part ng Pilipinas. In fact, ang naga-administer diyan ay local government ng Kalayaan. Ang sandy cay o Pag-asa cay 2 ay parte ng territorial waters ng Pag-asa island,&quot; David said.</p><p>&quot;Klaro na tayo ang sumusunod sa batas at sila ang sumasakop illegally at patuloy na hindi sumusunod sa UNCLOS,&quot; she added, referring to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.</p><p>Tensions further escalated during the &quot;patriotic jet ski flag ride&quot; led by Ismula, when a China People&#x27;s Liberation Army Navy vessel was observed trailing a smaller civilian boat, M/L Chowee, which was carrying participants.</p><p>According to David, the Chinese naval vessel, identified with hull number 525, came within close proximity of the civilian boat, at one point as close as around 1,000 yards, while operating roughly two nautical miles from Pag-asa Island.</p><p>&quot;Nag-cross iyong Chinese navy behind nung Chowee. Buti na lang nauna iyong Chowee, kasi baka mamaya kung ano pa iyong mangyari. Imagine iyong navy ship umabot ng around 1,000 yards. Para sa atin, ito ay another clear form of harassment,&quot; David said.</p><p>Separately, two China Coast Guard vessels with bow numbers 3103 and 3303 were reported shadowing the MV Kapitan Felix Oca, which departed Pag-asa Island on Monday. The vessels were observed at a distance of approximately 3.9 to 4.6 nautical miles, within the Philippines&#x27; exclusive economic zone.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/1/chinese-coast-guard-vessel-shadows-ph-civilian-mission-ship-in-west-philippine-sea-1014">READ: Chinese coast guard vessel shadows Filipino civilian mission ship in West Philippine Sea</a></div><p>David called on the government to further investigate what she described as the increasing presence of Chinese vessels in and around Pag-asa Island and the wider West Philippine Sea.</p><p>Meanwhile, Representative Ismula said the issue was not included in recent regional parliamentary discussions but vowed to elevate the matter to Congress and upcoming ASEAN-level engagements.</p><p>&quot;Bilang inyong mambabatas po, at mismong ako iyong nakaranas nito, maidadala ko po ito sa Kongreso at mapaguusapan sa ating komite. Magandang bagay po na kailangan itong i-prayoridad sa ASEAN [summit],&quot; Ismula said.</p><p>The Atin Ito Coalition is expected to conclude its fourth civilian mission on Tuesday evening upon its return to Manila.</p><div><strong>— With a report from Francis Orcio, ABS-CBN News</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FFbo0Lickiw?si=hgoF8MaFPyzXn-50" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br/></div>

<p>The six-day Atin Ito mission, which included a “patriotic jetski flag ride” and the planting of the Philippine flag in the West Philippine Sea, has been described as an “infringement of territorial sovereignty” by the Chinese government.</p>

The six-day Atin Ito mission, which included a “patriotic jetski flag ride” and the planting of the Philippine flag in the West Philippine Sea, has been described as an “infringement of territorial sovereignty” by the Chinese government.

China says jetski mission, PH flag planting in West PH Sea ‘infringement of territorial sovereignty’

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China says jetski mission, PH flag planting in West PH Sea ‘infringement of territorial sovereignty’

Marilyn Cahatol,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 04, 2026 10:40 AM PHT

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Updated May 04, 2026 07:51 PM PHT

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Pag-asa Cay 2

West Philippine Sea

China

sovereign rights

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