News
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View from Manila: PH’s recent narratives on West Philippine Sea testing gov’t integrity
SUMMARY MANILA, Philippines – When talking about the West Philippine Sea, narratives are important. Overlapping and diverging narratives took a scandalous turn last week, with Beijing claiming possession and threatening the release of a recorded phone call that, it said, proves that Western Command Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos had agreed to their terms in resupply […]
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DFA to probe reports of ‘illegal and unlawful’ activities by diplomats in PH
SUMMARY MANILA, Philippines – While vowing to “continue to focus its efforts on advancing cooperation with all countries,” the Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Monday, May 14, that it would “look into any reports of illegal and unlawful activities” of diplomats posted in the Philippines. “The Department of Foreign Affairs will look into […]
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Philippine coast guard won’t allow China reclamation at disputed shoal, official says
SUMMARY MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is committed to sustaining a presence in a disputed area of the South China Sea to ensure China does not carry out reclamation activities at the Sabina Shoal, its spokesperson said on Monday, May 13. The PCG said on Saturday it has deployed ships to Sabina […]
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[EDITORIAL] Ang ‘enemy from within’ sa West Philippine Sea
SUMMARY Nitong Mayo 10, inudyukan ni National Security Adviser Eduardo Año ang Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) na patalsikin sa Maynila ang Chinese embassy diplomats na naglabas sa media ng isa umanong recording. Sabi naman ni Defense Secretary Gibo Teodoro, dapat daw imbesitagahan ng DFA kung nilabag ng embassy officials ng Tsina ang Anti-Wiretapping Act […]
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Philippines sends ships to disputed atoll where China building ‘artificial island’
SUMMARY MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines said on Saturday, May 11, it has deployed ships to a disputed area in the South China Sea, where it accused China of building “an artificial island” in an escalating maritime row. The coast guard sent a ship “to monitor the supposed illegal activities of China, creating ‘an artificial […]
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Coral reefs in Pag-asa Island cays likely damaged for ‘several years already’ – scientist
SUMMARY MANILA, Philippines – A marine biologist who led the recent marine scientific research (MSR) in Pag-asa (Thitu) Island estimated that the damage on coral reefs in the isolated cays may have been going on for ““several years already.” “The ones that are underwater, from, let’s say, 7 meters deep to around 20 meters deep […]
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China military says it ‘drove away’ US destroyer in South China Sea
SUMMARY BEIJING, China – China’s military closely monitored and “drove away” USS Halsey that entered the territorial waters of Paracel Islands in the South China Sea on May 10, Friday, the Southern Theater Command of the People’s Liberation Army said in a statement on Friday. The US move “seriously infringed on China’s sovereignty and security,” […]
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Rappler Talk: A deep dive into the environmental damage in Pag-asa Island
MANILA, Philippines – While tensions escalate in the West Philippine Sea between Philippines and China, Filipino scientists continue to study the environment and biodiversity in the area. Jonathan Anticamara of the University of the Philippines Institute of Biology led the latest marine scientific research, which found coral reefs in Sandy Cay in a degraded state. […]
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Año wants expulsion of Chinese diplomats over ‘malign influence and interference operations’
SUMMARY MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines’ National Security Adviser on Friday, May 10, called on the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to “take appropriate actions against individuals in the Chinese Embassy” who have claimed to possess an audio recording of an alleged phone call with a Philippine military general. “Those individuals in the Chinese Embassy […]
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Amid China’s audio recording claim, DFA says: Diplomats must follow PH laws
SUMMARY MANILA, Philippines – Follow our laws. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reminded diplomats on Thursday, May 9, that they should “strictly adhere” to the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, particularly on respecting the laws of their host governments. The DFA issued the reminder days after China threatened to release a purported recording […]
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After China’s claims of a recorded call, Teodoro asks: Did its embassy violate PH law?
SUMMARY MANILA, Philippines – Philippine Defense Secretary Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro Jr., on Wednesday, May 9, said he doubted the authenticity of a supposed audio recording that Chinese officials claim “proves” a supposed agreement to manage tensions in the South China Sea. “Diumano, may pahayag ang Chinese embassy sa Pilipinas na mayroon kunong alleged recording sa […]
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‘Active citizenship’: Civilian group to hold Panatag Shoal mission
SUMMARY MANILA, Philippines – Civic society groups under Atin Ito will push through with a civilian-led mission to Panatag Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, two weeks after China’s water cannons damaged government ships during a mission to the same area. Atin Ito, a coalition that counts fisher and farmer groups, civic organizations, fisherfolk, and […]