Philippines protests China fishing ban in South China Sea
May 18, 2021 11:02 PM PHT
The Philippines said on Tuesday, May 18, that it has protested China s imposing a fishing moratorium until August 16 over the South China Sea, asserting it “does not recognize” the ban that included waters under Philippine jurisdiction.
In an official statement, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said China’s annual fishing ban extended “far beyond” Beijing’s maritime entitlements afforded to it under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and that “China cannot legally impose nor legally enforce such a moratorium in the West Philippine Sea.”
Roque on Duterte trash-talking Hague ruling: Media should apply proper construction
May 6, 2021 2:33 PM PHT
Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque advised the media to apply the proper construction when interpreting President Rodrigo Duterte s controversial remarks calling the Hague ruling a piece of paper meant for the trash can.
In a virtual press briefing on Thursday, May 6, Roque tried to downplay Duterte s literal trash talk by saying the public should remember the President s statement at the United Nations General Assembly where he stood up for the 2016 arbitral award. That s why his declaration to the UN General assembly is important. That is his declaration to the whole world and that is why you have to construe his statement in the proper context and that context is what he said in the UN General Assembly, he said.
Duterte belittles Hague ruling: I ll throw it in waste basket
May 6, 2021 12:52 AM PHT
Nag file sila ng kaso, nanalo tayo. Yang papel, sa totoong buhay, between nations, yang papel, wala yan, said Duterte on Wednesday, May 5, in a televised address.
(They filed a case, we won. That paper, in real life, between nations, that paper is nothing.)
Duterte then said that even after he followed recommendations to assert the arbitral award, nothing happened, leading to his frustration at critics who continue to pressure him to stand up to China.
Pinursue ko, walang nangyari. Actually, sa usapang bugoy, sabihin ko sa yo, Bigay mo sakin? Putangina papel lang yan. Itatapon ko yan sa waste basket, said the President.
Blatant disregard of promises: DFA files new protests vs Chinese ships in West PH Sea
Apr 23, 2021 11:49 AM PHT
Rappler.com
Just as it had vowed to do, the Philippines filed more diplomatic protests against the continued illegal presence of Chinese vessels in its waters, calling this a “blatant disregard” of China s commitments to regional peace and stability.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said in a statement on Friday, April 23, that it filed two more diplomatic protests on Wednesday, April 21.
“The Department of Foreign Affairs has lodged on 21 April two new diplomatic notes in protest of the continued deployment, lingering presence, and activities of Chinese vessels in Philippine maritime zones. The presence of these vessels blatantly infringe upon Philippine sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction,” it said.