THERE is no existing agreement between the Philippines and China to remove BRP Sierra Madre from Ayungin Shoal.
This is what President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. stressed on Wednesday, which is contrary to what Beijing said that the Philippine government has promised to remove the said military vessel.
Marcos insisted that he was not aware of any such arrangement or agreement that the Philippines will remove from its own territory its ship, referring to the grounded BRP Sierra Madre from the disputed waters.
The President made the statement following reports that the Chinese government has once again called on the Philippine government to remove its military vessel from the Ayungin Shoal, which is in the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone.
Since 1999, the Philippines has stationed the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin with the aim of making it a military outpost in the said contested waters.
The Chief Executive added that if such an agreement exists, then he will overturn it.
