President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (File photo)
MANILA – There is no existing agreement between the Philippines and China to remove BRP Sierra Madre from Ayungin Shoal, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said Wednesday.
Marcos issued the statement after China on Aug. 7 claimed that the Philippine government had “repeatedly promised to tow away” the grounded warship from the Ayungin Shoal, a feature within the Kalayaan Island Group less than 200 nautical miles off Palawan.
“I’m not aware of any such arrangement or agreement that the Philippines will remove from its own territory its ship, in this case, the BRP Sierra Madre from the Ayungin Shoal,” Marcos said in a video message released by the Presidential Communications Office.
Marcos added that he is repealing any commitment, should there be an existing agreement between the Philippines and China on the supposed removal of the BRP Sierra Madre from Ayungin Shoal.
“And let me go further, if there does exist such an agreement, I rescind that agreement now,” he said.
In a Laging Handa briefing, National Security Council assistant director general Jonathan Malaya said there is no commitment from the Philippine government to remove BRP Sierra Madre from the Ayungin Shoal.
Malaya also stressed that BRP Sierra Madre was deployed and stationed in Ayungin Shoal in 1999 to show China that the Philippines has control over it.
Foreign Affairs spokesperson Ma. Teresita Daza on Tuesday said Manila had decided to deploy a permanent station on Ayungin Shoal in 1999 in response to China’s illegal occupation of Panganiban Reef or the Mischief Reef in 1995.
China on Monday renewed its call on the Philippines to remove the BRP Sierra Madre from Ayungin Shoal, saying the Philippines fails to fulfill its promise.
Prior to China’s demand, the Chinese Coast Guard on Aug. 5 blocked and used water cannon against the Philippine Coast Guard's (PCG) resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal.
Marcos, in a media interview on Monday, said the government would come up with a comprehensive action to respond to China’s dangerous maneuvers and illegal use of water cannons against the PCG vessels in Ayungin Shoal.
Marcos also maintained that the Philippines will continue to assert its sovereignty over the West Philippine Sea, noting that Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo had already sent a note verbale to China following the latest incident in Ayungin Shoal. (PNA)
