PHL tells China: Leave Pag-asa Island

The Philippines had urged China to withdraw its supposed fishing vessels near Pag-asa Island, according to Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana.

In Joseph Morong's report on GMA's 24 Oras on Tuesday, Lorenzana said he communicated with Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jianhua about the 275 Chinese vessels spotted in the area by the military from January to March this year.

"Of course, we asked them to leave the vicinity of Pag-asa," Lorenzana said.

"The Chinese Ambassador told me those were fishing ships and which explains why there are more of them than usual because it is fishing season. Once the season is over, the number would be less," he added.

Lorenzana said Zhao denied that these are Chinese militias guarding the area.

"But I also told him we think those were People's Liberation Army Navy militias which he vehemently denied," he said.

Lorenzana said there are no reports yet whether the Chinese vessels near Pag-asa Island already left.

Malacañang said China should have asked for permission whether or not these were fishing vessels.

"Dapat nagpapaalam sila. Kung atin 'yun bakit naman sila basta-basta papasok 'dun?" Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said.

However, he added that the Philippine government is open for diplomatic discussions on the issue.

"If they don't move away, that is precisely the work of the bilateral mechanism on negotiations so that we could talk how to deal with it," Panelo said.

Further, he said that President Rodrigo Duterte did not have any hard feelings after Chinese President Xi Jinping maintained their stance of not recognizing the Permanent Court of Arbitration's ruling in 2016 which invalidated China's nine-dash claim in the South China Sea.

"How can he be slighted, that has been their position ever since. From the very start that has been the position of China. And from the very start, also, that is also our position that it is ours. What is important to me is open sila na i-resolve ang dispute doon sa negotiation table," Panelo said.

Moreover, the spokesman said that  Duterte assured China that there are no nuclear arms in Pag-asa Island.

"Baka kayo andon dahil baka akala n'yo, kami ay naglalagay ng nuclear arms doon at pinababayaan namin ang mga Amerikanong pumunta roon, eh definitely hindi. For as long as [he is] President, unang una sabi niya, that is against the constitution. So hindi kami papayag na may nuclear arms, o may mga amerikano doon," he said.

Duterte recently visited Beijing for the Belt and Road Forum. —Dona Magsino/LDF/RSJ, GMA News