Philippines brushes off Chinese protest over drills in West Philippine Sea

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin on Wednesday brushed off China's protest over recent drills by the Philippine Coast Guard in the West Philippine Sea, saying it has a right to conduct such activity under international law.

"They can say what they want from the Chinese mainland; we continue to assert from our waters by right of international law what we won in The Hague," said Locsin on Twitter.

He was referring to the landmark ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration on the case filed by the Philippines against China in 2016 that invalidated Beijing's sweeping claim over the South China Sea.

The Netherlands-based tribunal ruled that China's claim violated Manila's economic and sovereign rights under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. China does not recognize the ruling.

In the same tweet, Locsin said diplomatic protests will be filed continuously against China for defying the Philippine government's repeated demand for it to withdraw its militia vessels in the West Philippine Sea — a part of the South China Sea that is within Manila's Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf under the UNCLOS.

Chinese ships in varying numbers were spotted in various parts of the West Philippine Sea since early March. More than 200 Chinese militia vessels were seen in Julian Felipe Reef or Whitsun Reef during its peak in March.

"We must not fail to protest. @DFAPHL have we fired off a diplomatic protest? Do it now," said Locsin, who vowed to lodge daily protests against China until all their ships leave the West Philippine Sea.

Eight ships of Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources  (BFAR) conducted sovereignty patrols off the West Philippine Sea over the weekend, in an apparent challenge to the lingering presence of several Chinese ships.

China told the Philippine government to cease said activity, calling it a violation of Chinese sovereignty in the area, known by its international name Spratlys, but referred to as Nansha Islands by China.

It also accused the Philippines of escalating and complicating disputes in the South China Sea.

Ignoring China's call, the Philippine government said it will continue to patrol the West Philippine Sea "in the exercise of its sovereignty and sovereign rights under the Philippine Constitution and international law." — RSJ, GMA News