Marcos to continue asserting PH territorial rights in WPS

President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. will continue to fight for the Philippines' territorial rights in the West Philippine Sea, Malacañang said on Monday.

At a press briefing, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro was asked about China's claim that it has occupied Sandy Cay, which it calls Tiexian Reef, in the South China Sea.

Castro said security officials have already said that this claim was untrue. She added that the President is dedicated to asserting the country's rights in the region.

''Asahan po natin ang wala pong alinlangang dedikasyon ng Pangulong Marcos, na ipaglaban ang ating karapatan sa ating teritoryo, sa ating maritime rights lalung-lalo na po dito sa West Philippine Sea,'' Castro said.

(We can expect that President Marcos remains fully dedicated to fighting for our rights in our territory, for our maritime rights especially here in the West Philippine Sea.)

''At wala pong—tuloy-tuloy pa rin po ang pagprotekta sa lahat ng karapatan ng bansa na naaayon sa International law, pero may paniniguro na ito ay para sa peace and stability,'' she added.

(And there is no — the safeguarding of rights of nations in accordance with international law will continue, but this is to ensure peace and stability.)

Earlier, Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, the Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, said the claim was supposedly meant to divert the attention of the public amid allegations of Chinese spies and an alleged troll farm hired by the Chinese Embassy in Manila in 2023.

China had claimed that it seized control of Sandy Cay, which is part of the Spratly Islands.

Trinidad said that authorities also saw around four Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessels and 19 maritime militia near Sandy Cay. —KG, GMA Integrated News