Senate seeks DFA briefing on Ayungin Shoal clash

Source: The Manila times
Author: Javier Joe Ismael

MANILA, Philippines -- The Senate requested the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) for a briefing on the latest encounter in the West Philippine Sea that saw China Coast Guards (CCG) boarding a Philippine vessel that was sent on a resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal.

Senate President Francis Escudero said on Thursday that the escalation of tensions in the West Philippine Sea was alarming, and the Senate will be seeking a full briefing from the DFA on the latest incident and the efforts being undertaken to address this.

In the meantime, Escudero said that the DFA should not file diplomatic protests only when incidents occur. Instead, they should make every effort to engage in meaningful dialogue with their counterparts in Beijing to prevent further escalation. This should be done while ensuring we do not concede any of our rights and privileges in our claimed territory compared to theirs.

"As our diplomats work to advance our interests, I urge our Armed Forces to explore alternative methods to deliver provisions to the Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal so that our troops are properly resupplied while minimizing the risks and achieving our desired objectives," the Senate chief said.

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