By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Stressing that only President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. can approve or authorize agreements entered into by the Philippines on matters about the West Philippine Sea (WPS), the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Tuesday (07 May 2024) said that there was “no document, record or deal” with China on Ayungin Shoal.
The DFA belied China’s claim that top Philippine security officials had approved an agreement to calm the hostility in Ayungin Shoal in the WPS.
“As far as the Philippine Government is concerned, no such document, record or deal exists, as purported by the Chinese Embassy,” the DFA said in a statement.
Since 1991, the BRP Sierra Madre — a World War Two rusting ship, served as a military outpost on Ayungin Shoal and has become a symbol of Philippine sovereignty in the area.
It can be noted that during many of the resupply missions to BRP Sierra Madre, China’s ships intercept and conduct dangerous moves against Philippine vessels, usually with water cannons.
Similar missions to Bajo de Masinloc (Panatag, Scarborough Shoal) Filipino resupply mission personnel have been met with the same tactics.
The DFA stressed that no “cabinet-level official” of the Marcos Jr. administration had agreed “to any Chinese proposal pertaining to the Ayungin Shoal.”
On Saturday (4 May 2024), an unnamed spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Manila claimed in a statement that Beijing and Manila, through the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Western Command, allegedly agreed on the supposed new model early this year to diffuse tensions in Ayungin Shoal.
(el Amigo/MNM)
