Retired Filipino cop burns Chinese flags, calls Philippine diplomats to step down

Photo by Fat Reyes/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—After a failed attempt two months ago, a retired police officer set on fire Chinese flags Friday in front of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in Pasay City in protest of Beijing’s alleged intrusion into the Philippines’ territorial waters.

Abner Afuang, who is also a media man, torched four flags of the socialist state even as he lambasted the DFA, calling it “useless.”

He said the seething territorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) was a result of the Philippine diplomats’ lapses in dealing with the issue.

“Inutil ang DFA. Magresign na sila (The DFA is useless. They should resign),” shouted Afuang as he poured on gasoline on the Chinese flags.

Afuang claimed that he had burned 15 Chinese flags since the issue erupted.

“Gusto kong ipakita sa kanila na walang duwag na Pilipino. Huwag nila tayong hahamunin (I want to show them that Filipinos are not cowards. They should not dare challenge us,” Afuang said.

Afuang said that China’s appointment of a mayor in Sansha city was an affront to the country. China established the city of Sansha on an island in the area, along with the military garrison.

The city of Sansha lies on the island of Yongxing in the disputed Paracel Islands. The region is also north of the Spratly Islands, which are also subject to rival claims.

“Natutuwa naman ako kay Noynoy pero ipakita mo Pangulong Noynoy, matatapos na ang 2016 mga nakapalibot sa iyo puro mga adviser mo mga inutil sa kanilang bayan,” he said, referring to President Benigno Aquino III and his advisers.

The dispute in the West Philippine Sea has simmered for decades, though tensions have risen markedly recently as China has moved to more strongly assert its territorial claims.

China says it owns much of the contested region, though Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Brunei and Malaysia each claim portions of it. With Agence France-Presse