PH files diplomatic protest vs. China; to summon ambassador

THE Department of Foreign Affairs said that the Philippines had fired another diplomatic protest against China, this time due to the recent aggressions it did at Scarborough Shoal and Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.

Likewise, the DFA said that a demarche is also done by the Philippine Embassy in Beijing.

“Yes, we used the maritime communication mechanism and it was used yesterday at 12 o’ clock noon, the Department of Foreign Affairs launched its diplomatic protest with the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs through a phone call,” DFA spokesperson Teresita Daza said.

“In terms of the demarche undertaken by our Philippine Embassy in Beijing, yes we confirm that our Philippine Embassy in Beijing has made a demarche to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials yesterday concerning the Bajo de Masinloc incident,” Daza added.

Likewise, Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian would be summoned.

This is “to protest the incident.” 

Daza also said that calls for Huang to be declared as persona non grata, “seriously considered.”

“If you do something or say something that is unwelcome, then you can be subject to what they call persona non grata but with this case, I think it’s something that we’ll have to be seriously considered whether the incidents or the series of incidents merit having him a persona non grata,” Daza explained.

She explained that the envoys has a job which enhances relations between countries and not divide them.

“We’re calling that [he] actually assumes, that he will try to do his best to actually enhance relations between the two countries,” Daza said.

Earlier in the weekend, Chinese vessels rammed and water cannoned Philippine vessels that were on a resupply mission to BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal.

National Security Council Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya said that the “use of water cannons numerous times, long-range acoustic devices or LRADs, as well as other movements against the BFAR vessels which caused severe, though temporary discomfort and incapacitation to some Filipino crew, as well as dangerous and unsafe maneuvers is completely unacceptable.”