President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. denied that the Philippine government had promised China to remove BRP Sierra Madre from Ayungin Shoal.
"I’m not aware of any such arrangement or agreement that the Philippines will remove from its own territory its ship, in this case, the BRP Sierra Madre, from the Ayungin Shoal," Marcos said in a video message on Wednesday.
"And let me go further, if there does exist such an agreement, I rescind that agreement now," the President continued.
China earlier claimed that the Philippine government had promised to remove the vessel from the Ayungin Shoal, which Beijing calls Ren’ai Jiao.
The BRP Sierra Madre, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), has been at the Ayungin Shoal since 1999. The ship, manned by more than a dozen Marines and sailors, has become a symbol of Philippine sovereignty in the offshore territory.
The vessel became a permanent military outpost whose job it is to "protect and secure Philippine rights and interests in the West Philippine Sea."
The Chinese Coast Guard engaged in dangerous maneuvers and fired water cannons at Philippine Coast Guard vessels while they were en route to Ayungin Shoal to deliver food, water, fuel, and other supplies to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) troops who are stationed on BRP Sierra Madre.
After the incident, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. said that a verbale message had already been sent to China.
The President assured that the Philippine government will continue to defend its territorial claims in the West Philippine Sea.
