Philippines lodges diplomatic protest with Beijing over South China Sea ‘hit and run’ that sunk fishing vessel
- Philippine fishermen were left stranded at sea, prompting some analysts to criticise the Chinese conduct as ‘inappropriate’ and ‘unethical’
- In recent years, Chinese ships have blocked or intimidated Philippine military and civilian vessels at Reed Bank
The Philippine military’s Western Command on Thursday described the collision as “accidental” in a statement but the abandonment of the fishermen has prompted an angry reaction in Manila.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin announced he had lodged the protest on Twitter on Thursday morning, amid a growing outcry from Philippine politicians over what some claimed was a “hit and run” incident that occurred on Sunday night at Reed Bank, off the western province of Palawan.
President Rodrigo Duterte’s spokesman Salvador Panelo also condemned the incident, saying: “We will not allow ourselves to be assaulted, to be bullied, to be the subject of such barbaric, uncivilised and outrageous actions from any source.”
Panelo said Duterte was “outraged” over the incident, adding that if the collision was found to be intentional, the Philippines would consider it an “act of aggression”.