Ayungin clash: Philippines sends note verbale to China

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is protesting China’s illegal and aggressive actions to stop the delivery of food and supplies to a Philippine military outpost on the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) on June 17, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said yesterday.

“We have already sent a note verbale,” Manalo told reporters on the sidelines of the East-West Center International Media Conference at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City.

The foreign affairs chief did not say when the protest was filed.

“We are committed to peace and stability, and we will do whatever we can to promote that without sacrificing our sovereign rights and our sovereignty,” he said, stressing that “the law is on our side.”

The Philippines condemned the “illegal and aggressive” actions of China in Ayungin Shoal, which endangered the lives of Philippine Navy personnel and damaged vessels.

China Coast Guard (CCG) personnel used bladed weapons and hammers to force their way onto Philippine boats to stop them from reaching the BRP Sierra Madre.

Several Filipinos were injured in the ensuing scuffle, with one soldier losing a finger.

The CCG ramming and towing Philippine vessels on a rotation and resupply (RORE) mission also sparked international condemnation.

Disinformation, cyberattacks

The narrative surrounding the WPS has been obscured by disinformation and attacks against the Philippine government’s information technology infrastructure, according to Manalo.

Speaking at the same event yesterday, the foreign affairs secretary emphasized that the ability of the press to report on global events and the ability of people to appreciate and understand these events is under sustained attack from disinformation and cyberattacks.

“Many countries, including the Philippines, have been targeted by malign actors wantonly exploiting technology to distort and manipulate facts,” he said.

Manalo lauded the media for ensuring that the public is in possession of facts on the WPS.

“These efforts form an essential part of our commitment to a rules-based international order and our determination to protect and preserve our sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction, particularly in the West Philippine Sea,” he said.

He noted that genuine photos and videos or those that are not AI-generated or digitally manipulated “speak louder and more powerfully than the myriad attempts at misinformation and the peddling of false narratives.”

“And we are grateful for our partnership with you. Your work has helped to put the spotlight on what is really happening in the West Philippine Sea. And your reporting has highlighted our country’s efforts to push back against illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive actions in our own waters,” Manalo said.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Department of National Defense are urging the people not to believe China’s narratives and propaganda.

Manalo explained that false narrative paints the WPS as merely a stage for great power rivalry in the region, that the Philippines is just a pawn in this game and acting only at the behest of another country.

“This reductionist view muddles our understanding of the complex situation on the ground and detracts from the real crux of the issue: that a country is choosing to ignore international law, in particular the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea as affirmed by the 2016 Arbitral Award, and the legitimate rights and interests of coastal states, such as the Philippines,” he said.

Official, unofficial channels

Amid these developments, the Philippine government, through the DFA, is now trying to make use of official and unofficial channels to talk to China and ease tensions in the WPS.

National Security Council (NSC) assistant director general Jonathan Malaya said that these are being done without compromising Philippine interests and with the determination that RORE missions to the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal will continue, using various means or strategies. – Michael Punongbayan, Evelyn Macairan