MANILA — The municipal council of Kalayaan, a town in Palawan within the hotly contested Spratly Islands in the West Philippine Sea, has declared Chinese ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian persona non grata in response to Beijing's water cannoning of Philippine Coast Guard boats at the Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal earlier this month.

The town's council unanimously adopted the resolution, with copies of the measure to be furnished to the provincial government of Palawan, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the Office of the President, the Senate, and the Chinese Embassy in Manila.

In the resolution, the council condemned the Chinese Coast Guard's actions on Aug. 5, when it blocked and fired water cannons at Philippine Coast Guard vessels attempting to resupply Filipino troops garrisoned at the BRP Sierra Madre grounded at the Ayungin Shoal.

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The council also took note of Huang's statements following the incident, saying these were a "disrespect" to Philippine sovereignty and the country's rightful ownership of parts of the South China Sea within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

In a speech, Kalayaan councilor Maurice Philip Alexis Albayda quoted Huang as saying that Beijing had "no choice but to make necessary responses and the China Coast Guard has implemented appropriate action in accordance with the law."

"Wow, nakakakilabot," Albayda said in his speech, reacting to Huang's pronouncements.

(Wow, how infuriating.)

"Tunay na nakakagalit ang ginawa ng ating kapit-bansa... manhid, ganid, at taksil na lamang ang mga Pilipinong hindi makakaramdam ng poot sa ginagawa ng Tsina sa atin," Albayda added.

(It angers me what our neighboring countries are doing to us. Only numb, greedy, and treacherous Filipinos would not feel anger over what China has been doing to us.)

• 'Traitors': PCG official slams Filipinos defending China in fresh maritime row

Kalayaan is among the Philippines' the least populated towns. Its center on Pag-asa Island is where Manila asserts its claims over the disputed island group.

Days after the Aug. 5 incident, Manila filed a diplomatic protest over Beijing's use of water cannons. China responded by demanding the Philippines to remove BRP Sierra Madre, claiming Manila had committed to do so. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo denied making such a commitment.

• Arroyo denies deal with China to remove BRP Sierra Madre from Ayungin
• Solons mull probe over PH's alleged promise to China to withdraw BRP Sierra Madre

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Sen. Risa Hontiveros welcomed the declaration, saying such move was part of the town's prerogative.

"After all, why would they welcome someone who seems to encourage China’s threats and harassment in their own shores? Why would they welcome someone who does not recognize their right to exist in the first place?" Hontiveros asked in a statement.

"The residents and fisherfolk from Kalayaan have lost their traditional fishing grounds and their main source of livelihood because of China’s presence in the West Philippine Sea. The municipality has all the right to defend their home, not least by banning individuals who continue to disrespect Philippine sovereignty and the dignity of the Filipino people," she added.

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