Reports of war with China amid WPS situation ‘fake news’ –Sobejana

Armed Forces Chief General Cirilito Sobejana on Sunday belied social media reports that open warfare was about to break out between the Philippines and China over the presence of naval militia and warships in the West Philippine Sea.

"'Yung tungkol po sa mga balita sa nasa social media na kumakalat sa ngayon na, wala pong katotohanan yan," Sobejana said on Super Radyo dzBB, when asked about the matter.

He also dismissed "fake" reports on social media about war equipment that the Philippines received from the US, Japan, and Australia.

"At yung napaulat po or naibalita sa social media na meron diumanong pandirigmang gamit na dumarating from the US, from Japan, and australia, ito nga ang shineshare... wala pong katotohanan yan para malinaw po sa ating mga kababayan at ayaw natin magkaroon ng pang, ganyang pangangamba," added the military chief, while appealing to the public to share factual reports on social media.

(Reports on social media about war equipment being shared on social media. There is no truth to that, let's be clear here. We don't want to create panic.)

On asserting sovereignty over the West Philippine Sea, the Philippine military commander said that sovereignty patrols to protect the country's exclusive economic zone would continue .

"As part of the national task force on the West Philippine Sea, kami po ay nagpapadala ng mga barko sa western command para sa ganun tuloy tuloy ang pagsagawa natin ng sovereignty patrol in our exclusive economic zone," he said.

The Philippines earlier filed a protest over the continued presence of Chinese boats at the Julian Felipe Reef.

Another protest was later filed after additional Chinese militia vessels and ships swarmed the Philippine exclusive economic zone. — DVM, GMA News