PCO denies China's claim that PH promised to remove BRP Sierra Madre from Ayungin Shoal

PCO denies China's claim that PH promised to remove BRP Sierra Madre from Ayungin Shoal; NSC insists PH, China never had such agreement

Transcript

00:00 Not only did the Chinese show deceit for their brazen action to host down the

00:04 Philippine Coast Guard in Ayungan Shoal, while repeatedly radio calls or

00:08 communications to them went on without response. They've even outdone

00:12 themselves by going full Pinocchio and insisting the Philippines did not

00:16 follow through on an alleged deal to take the BRP Charamadre away from the

00:20 Ayungan Shoal. NSBA Bernardo reports the National Security Council has dared

00:25 China's foreign ministry to produce any shred of evidence to back up their

00:29 outrageous and phony claims.

00:33 Malacanang has spoken. The Philippines never promised China to remove the BRP

00:39 Charamadre in the Ayungan Shoal. According to Presidential Communications

00:43 Office Secretary Attorney Chelo Garafil, the two countries had no such

00:47 agreement, even in the past administrations, according to the

00:51 National Security Council. NSC spokesperson Assistant Director General

00:56 Jonathan Malaya challenged China to issue a document to prove such claim or

01:01 agreement.

01:03 For China's Foreign Affairs Ministry statement, it is said the Philippines

01:22 never fulfilled its promise to remove the ship from Ayungan Shoal. But instead

01:27 of fulfilling it, the Philippines is even ensuring the ship sits there to

01:31 permanently occupy what they call Reynan Jiao. The Foreign Affairs Department

01:36 said it is clear in the 2016 arbitral ruling or the rule of law that the reef

01:41 is part of the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines, so the country has

01:45 the sovereign rights and jurisdiction over it. According to DFA spokesperson

01:50 Maria Teresita Daza, the resupply mission and refurbishing of the BRP

01:55 Charamadre is part of the regular operation of the country in accordance

01:59 with domestic and international law. The NSC expressed disappointment on

02:03 Beijing when it did not respond to calls while the water cannon incident was

02:08 taking place at the Ayungan Shoal last Saturday. The Philippines and China

02:12 developed a maritime communication system as a result of previous talks

02:16 between the two nations, but China only responded after the incident. Maritime

02:22 defense expert attorney Jay Batong-Bacal believes that China is intentionally

02:26 taking aggressive action in the region in the hope that the Philippines leaves

02:30 voluntarily and takes sole possession of the reef without the Philippines laying

02:35 claim anymore. Batong-Bacal also said the Philippines should take further actions

02:40 against China.

02:54 Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Gilberto Chudoro Jr. and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had a phone

02:59 call conversation. The United States Secretary expressed support to the

03:04 Philippines following the incident. The U.S. condemned China's Coast Guard

03:07 dangerous move. Austin also insisted again on the mutual defense treaty on

03:12 the two countries. The NSC said it will study if the water cannon is considered

03:18 an armed attack.

03:31 We have to resolve.

03:32 Bea Bernardo for the Nation.