THE Philippines has heightened its rhetoric against China, with Malacañang calling on Chinese vessels supposedly seen near the Philippine-owned Kota (Loaita) Island to “go away.” In a news briefing on Wednesday, Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said the Chinese should go away from the Kota and Panata islands in the disputed South China Sea (West Philippine Sea) because “they cannot be intruding in our territorial property.”
Panelo said China “had no business being there.” “It is [an assault to the Philippines’ sovereignty,] if they continue to be present in our territory then it is an assault to our sovereignty,” he said. After the sightings are verified, fresh diplomatic protests will be filed by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) with China, he said.
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