By Azer N. Parrocha
MANILA, March 30 (PNA) — Malacanang on Sunday said that Saturday’s incident which involved a Philippine vessel allegedly blocked by Chinese Coast Guards along the Ayungin Shoal (Second Thomas Shoal) was still being reviewed.
It was reported that the vessel loaded with Philippine troops, supplies, media still managed to reach the Shoal despite the alleged harassment.
The incident occurred amid rising tensions between the Philippines and China over the disputed West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).
A memorial in international law will be filed by the Philippines before the Tribunal of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) at Hague in the Netherlands on Sunday.
Its purpose will be to oppose China’s 9-dash line territorial rule, which-dotted line refers to the demarcation line used by China for its claim to the West Philippine Sea.
While the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) condemned the report, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) had yet to confirm if actual harassment was involved.
The DFA has previously insisted that the Ayungin Shoal is part of the Philippine continental shelf and therefore has jurisdiction over it.
“Patuloy pong pinag-aaralan ng Pangulo at ng Gabinete ang sitwasyon para makabuo po tayo ng makatwirang katugunan,” Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said in an interview on state-run dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.
Coloma also maintained that despite the incident, the government was still focused in peaceful negotiations to settle the sea dispute.
“Hindi natitinag ang focus ng ating pamahalaan sa patuloy na paggamit ng diplomasya at matahimik na paraan sa pagresolba sa usapin sa West Philippine Sea,” the PCOO chief said.
When asked if the Philippines would file a diplomatic protest after the alleged harassment, Coloma said that he will have to defer with the DFA. (Philippine News Agency)
