A year after the ramming and sinking of a Filipino fishing boat by a Chinese vessel in Recto Bank, former foreign affairs chief Albert del Rosario is urging Filipinos not to forget the incident or surrender to China’s “persistent” aggression to gain control of the entire South China Sea. “The moment we forget is the moment we cave in to persistent Chinese atrocity; it is the moment we lose ourselves as Filipinos,” Del Rosario said in a statement. “The act of remembering is crucial in order for us to stand up for our rights in the face of persistent bullying and injustice.” The incident happened exactly a year ago yesterday. China, he said, does not see the Philippines as having equal rights and that it pretends to be a friend while seizing Philippine territory, reclaiming and building artificial islands on the country’s land and waters, harassing Filipino soldiers and fishermen.

Lee-Brago, P., & Punongbayan, M. (2020, June 10). 'Remember Recto Bank sinking'. The Philippine Star, p. 4.