Philippine civilian group slams China for ‘modern-day piracy’ in Second Thomas Shoal

Rafaela David, one of the leaders of Atin Ito (“It’s Ours”), said China’s coastguard cannot get away with the reported seizure of supplies for Filipino troops stationed aboard a rickety warship that serves as a military outpost in the Second Thomas Shoal.

“They cannot do a ‘Made in China’ Jack Sparrow act in our backyard and expect no accountability,” she said on Wednesday, referring to the protagonist of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.

Philippine navy spokesman for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad said the Chinese coastguard personnel snatched a package airdropped by a military aircraft for the troops on the outcrop, suspecting it had construction materials to reinforce the crumbling vessel.

He later released pictures that showed the parcel contained food rations that were dispersed in the sea.

The West Philippine Sea is the term Manila uses to describe the eastern parts of the South China Sea that are within its exclusive economic zone and territorial waters.

David described the act as “outright modern-day piracy” and an “assault on our dignity as a nation”.

“Our brave frontliners deserve unwavering support, not pillaging by foreign aggressors,” she said.

The Second Thomas Shoal, known to Filipinos as Ayungin, has become a flashpoint between Manila and Beijing in recent years.

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Chinese fishing boats and coastguard vessels have often blocked and rammed Philippine ships in the resource-rich waterway, prompting Manila to lodge repeated diplomatic protests over the behaviour.

David said next week’s demonstration was about “standing up for what’s just, what is rightfully ours, and making it clear that the