Palace supports ban on Chinese survey ships

Malacañang on Tuesday backed the decision of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to ban the marine survey ships of China.

“Kung ano ‘yung sinabi ng department, ‘yon ang policy ng administration, unless the President makes another policy statement,” presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said at a news conference.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said on Monday that the department would “universalize” the ban to include Chinese survey ships. He said the Philippines had already banned Japan and France.

The ban came a week after Chinese survey vessels were spotted in waters within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Ryan Martinson, assistant professor of the China Maritime Studies Institute at the US Naval War College, posted last week the photos and track of Chinese vessels Zhanjian and Dong Fang Hong 3.

The Department of Foreign Affairs recently said it would file another diplomatic protest regarding the presence of the Chinese survey ships. —KBK, GMA News