West PH Sea: PH to protest China’s latest aggression in Bajo de Masinloc

PHOTO COURTESY OF PCG

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine government will file a diplomatic protest against China’s latest aggression in the West Philippine Sea, particularly in Bajo de Masinloc.

In an ambush interview on Thursday, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo confirmed that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) intends to submit the protest.

“We will be submitting our protest,” Manalo said when asked about the matter.

READ: Chinese water cannon blasts, ramming of PH ships continue

“It’s very clear I mean we were within our legal rights. Certainly we don’t understand why China again is repeating these actions which are clearly illegal,” he added later on.

The DFA has yet to provide details as to when the protest will be filed. INQUIRER.net has also sought the agency’s confirmation whether or not they would summon Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian over China’s latest aggression.

The Philippine Coast Guard earlier revealed that a China Coast Guard again sideswiped and blasted its water cannon at a Filipino-manned civilian vessel near Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal) around 6 a.m. on Wednesday.

READ: West PH Sea: Chinese ships fire water cannon, harass PH vessels anew – PCG

China’s continued aggression in Philippine waters is borne out of a sweeping claim over most of the South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea.

However, this claim has long been dismissed by an arbitral tribunal.