DFA files formal protest over 'dangerous' China action vs PH

The Philippines on Thursday said it has filed a diplomatic protest against China for its dangerous maneuvers that caused significant damage to one of its vessels and injury to a Filipino crew during an incident at Scarborough Shoal.

No further details were provided, but the Department of Foreign Affairs said a note verbale was sent to China on Thursday.

"Protest has been filed today," the DFA said in reply to media queries if a diplomatic protest has been lodged against China.

The Philippine government condemned what it called "illegal and hostile actions" by the China Coast Guard Aquatic Resources ship and Chinese Maritime Millia vessels against the Philippines' Bureau of Fisheries ship during a humanitarian mission for Filipino fishermen on Sept. 16 near Scarborough Shoal, called Bajo de Masinloc by Manila and Huangyan Island by Beijing.

China blasted the BRP Datu Gumbay Piang with a powerful water cannon, resulting to structural and electrical damage and injury to one of the Filipino crew members.

The United States, a longtime treaty ally of the Philippines, and other friendly nations such as Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Canada and those from the European Union likewise condemned China's latest aggressive actions against the Philippines.

The incident occurred nearly a week after China announced a plan to turn Scarborough Shoal as a national nature reserve — a move strongly protested by the Philippines and several countries.

A U-shaped rocky outcrop teeming with marine resources, Scarborough Shoal was seized by China from Manila in 2012 following a two-month standoff, triggering an arbitration complaint by the Philippines a decade ago.

Manila maintains it has sovereignty over the shoal, saying "it forms an integral part of the Philippine national territory." — RSJ, GMA Integrated News