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MANILA, Philippines — Former Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio on Wednesday said China cannot prevent the Philippines from building structures on Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal. Carpio said the shoal is part of the country’s exclusive economic zone under the 2016 South China Sea arbitral ruling. “The Arbitral Award declared Ayungin

MANILA, Philippines — Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro on Wednesday raised the Philippines’ protest over the recent Ayungin Shoal incident during her first bilateral meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in two years, as Manila pressed Beijing on maritime disputes despite renewed diplomatic engagement. The Department of For

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela on Wednesday rejected Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan‘s claim that Philippine activities were triggering tensions in the contested waters west of the country. Tarriela said China’s maritime actions, including the deployment of its

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Adm. Jay Tarriela on Wednesday said China did not need to grant permission for the medical evacuation of two injured Filipino servicemen from Ayungin Shoal because the operation was conducted within the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone. “We don

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday vowed that the long-delayed first Bangsamoro parliamentary elections will finally push through on Sept. 14. In March, Marcos signed into law a measure resetting the first regular elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to Sept. 14, 2026, after th

MANILA, Philippines — Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Jing Quan said the tense encounter between Philippine and Chinese vessels at Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal violated a 2024 arrangement between Beijing and Manila meant to prevent friction during rotation and resupply (RoRe) missions to the grounded BRP Sierra Madre warship. In an inte

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had already conveyed to Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Jing Quan the Philippines’ protest against the assault of a member of the Philippine Navy, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed on Wednesday. Marcos met with Jing on Tuesday in what the latter described as a “construc

MANILA, Philippines — The majority of Filipinos distrust China primarily due to the perception of Beijing’s continued harassment of Filipino personnel and fisherfolk in the West Philippine Sea and its sweeping claims in the disputed waters, according to an Octa Research survey. Results of the survey released on Wednesday showed that nearly two