PH reiterates sovereignty as China alleges PH intruded into Scarborough

The Philippines on Monday cited its sovereignty after China called out Manila for its alleged illegal intrusion into the waters of Scarborough Shoal.

“These are all part of shaping or malign info operations more likely for their internal audience,” Philippine Navy spokesperson for the Wet Philippines (WPS) Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad said.

“Only the Philippine Navy and other Philippine flagged law enforcement ships have the authority and legal bases to challenge any ship within maritime zones,” he added.

A Reuters report earlier quoted China's Southern Theatre navy as saying that a Philippine frigate had "illegally intruded" into the waters of Scarborough Shoal on Sunday.

China accused the Philippines of "seriously violating" Chinese sovereignty and laws.

Scarborough Shoal is located 124 nautical miles off Masinloc, Zambales, and is considered within the Philippines’ 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

It is also referred to as Bajo de Masinloc or Panatag Shoal.

Tensions continue as Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion of annual shipborne commerce, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.

Parts of the South China Sea that fall within Philippine territory have been renamed by the government as West Philippine Sea to reinforce the country’s claim.

The West Philippine Sea refers to the maritime areas on the western side of the Philippine archipelago including Luzon Sea and the waters around, within and adjacent to the Kalayaan Island Group and Bajo de Masinloc.

In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines over China's claims in the South China Sea, saying that it had "no legal basis."

China has repeatedly refused to recognize the decision. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News