00:00 The palace also denied that the Philippines and China have an agreement to remove the BRP Sierra Madre from the island.
00:08 According to an expert, China is possibly aiming at being aggressive to continue to retreat the Philippines.
00:16 Beya Bernardo has more.
00:18 He has already said that the Philippines and China never promised to remove the damaged BRP Sierra Madre from the island.
00:28 According to Presidential Communications Office Secretary Attorney Chelo Garafil,
00:33 there has never been such an agreement between the two countries,
00:36 even with the addition of administration according to the National Security Council.
00:41 NSC Spokesperson Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya challenged China
00:46 to issue a document proving that the two countries have an agreement.
00:52 If there is such an agreement, then issue it.
00:58 They are the ones that are making this claim.
01:04 Therefore, it is their responsibility to back up their claim.
01:08 In the statement of the Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry,
01:11 it is said that the Philippines is not fulfilling its promise to remove the ship from the island.
01:16 Instead, the Philippines is making our ship stronger to permanently occupy what they call the "Rainanjau".
01:24 The Foreign Affairs Department clearly stated in the 2016 Arbitral Ruling
01:28 that the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines is part of the Bahura
01:32 and that's why the country has the right and jurisdiction here.
01:35 According to DFA Spokesperson Maria Teresita Daza,
01:39 resupply mission and the arrangement of the BRP Sierra Madre is part of the regular operations of the country
01:46 in accordance with domestic and international law.
01:48 The NSC also declared its disapproval of Beijing
01:51 when it did not respond to the call while the water cannon incident was taking place in Ayunginshul last Saturday.
01:57 The Philippine and China Maritime Communication System was formed as a result of the talks between the two countries in the past.
02:05 But China only responded after the incident.
02:09 Maritime Defense expert Atty. J. Batong-Bacal believes that China is deliberately taking aggressive action in the region
02:16 to force the Philippines to leave the island and to completely abandon the Bahura.
02:21 Batong-Bacal also said that the Philippines should not be a part of any Chinese attack.
02:26 We are supporting Ayunginshul. It is like the front line now. If Ayunginshul is not with us, other places in the West Philippine Sea will follow.
02:38 Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Gilberto Chodoro Jr. and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had a phone call conversation.
02:46 The United States declared its support for the Philippines the day after the incident.
02:51 The U.S. also condemned China's Coast Guard's actions against our ships that were in the vicinity of our people.
02:58 Austin also reiterated the mutual defense treaty between the two countries.
03:03 NSC said that China's use of water cannons should be studied as an armed attack against the country.
03:11 It is debatable whether a water cannon is considered an armed attack.
03:18 So that is something that our legal experts will have to resolve.
03:24 Bea Bernardo, for the nation.
03:26 Bye guys.
