Vendetta

IN an attempt to counter China’s continuous aggression in the contested waters of the South China Sea/West Philippine Sea, Filipino hackers took it upon themselves to defend the country’s sovereignty.
A message was plastered on each hacked website: “China’s alleged claim on maritime territories and oppressive poaching can no longer be tolerated. Stand against oppression! It’s time to fight back! Say no to China’s bullying!”
On May 19, a group called “Anonymous Philippines” claimed the responsibility of defacing 149 government and 46 commercial Chinese websites.
“The operation was a success, we might not have brought China to it’s knees but we gave hope to our brothers and sisters, because hope is what we need right now. Hope that someday people will stand-up and fight back!,” the group posted on its Facebook page.
Despite supporting the country’s cause in this maritime impasse, the Philippine government said that it will not tolerate such actions. Malacañang warned that the Filipino hackers responsible for attacking these Chinese websites will face the legal consequences of their actions.
“We have laws on maintenance of integrity of (internet) sites, in cyberspace, and we need to remind all concerned that such laws are being enforced in our country, respective of views that may be held by people who are resorting to those actions. We will continue to abide by our laws,” Presidential Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. said.
Furthermore, Coloma also discouraged those who plan to conduct violent demonstrations on the streets. Coloma stressed the importance of maintaining peace and order, and said that protesters should also do their part by following the rule of law.
Carrying banners that said “China get out!” and “China back off!,” Filipino militants picketed at the Chinese embassy in Manila last week. The protesters decried China’s land reclamation in the disputed Mabini Reef.
It is admirable to see such passion in defending one’s country. But aggression should not beget aggression. Being informed should be enough for now, to join the government’s efforts to claim and protect what is rightfully ours.
Protests, whether done online or in the streets, invalidate what the Philippines has been fighting for: a peaceful resolution. Since this conflict erupted, the country has been committed to arbitration — a friendly, peaceful and durable form of dispute settlement.
The Philippines has already sought the intervention of  impartial experts to help resolve the tension in the disputed South China Sea/West Philippine Sea.
Through the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), the Philippine government seeks to settle its dispute with China amicably and diplomatically.
The ITLOS is an intergovernmental organization created through the directive of the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea and established by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, signed at Montego Bay, Jamaica, on December 10, 1982.
“When parties are in a dispute, differences in political and economic power can often weigh against a fair, just, peaceful and lasting resolution. Mediation and other third party mechanisms can level the playing field. These help ensure that although one party may lack in power, it can make up for through reliance on the rule of law,” Foreign Affairs Sec. Albert Del Rosario said of the arbitration.
As the conflict over territorial claims remains, threat to the region’s peace and stability also looms. With the Philippines and China not willing to budge (both sure of their claims), an arbitration is a fair and unbiased solution.
If worse comes to worst, Philippine forces are on alert and on patrol, ready to take on any mission that will be given by higher authorities.
(AJPress)