Aquino begins 2-day visit to New Zealand
By Michael Lim Ubac
President Benigno Aquino III arrived here before noon Monday to a red carpet welcome by the New Zealand government.
President Benigno Aquino III arrived here before noon Monday to a red carpet welcome by the New Zealand government.
President Aquino has appointed new ambassadors to Pakistan, Iran, Bahrain and Myanmar, Malacañang announced Friday.
Upon President Benigno Aquino III’s instructions, Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II flew to Nanning, China on Thursday to meet with incoming Chinese President Xi Jinping.
It was Malacañang’s turn Wednesday to tell the Chinese off. Using a smattering of Mandarin, presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the Chinese should be a bit more careful in issuing statements accusing the Philippines of provoking hostility in the region.
The unidentified cargo vessel only passed near the Philippines fishing boat and did not ram it, contrary to earlier reports, Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said Tuesday.
The Department of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday confirmed that Chinese fishing boats have returned inside the lagoon of the disputed Scarborough Shoal.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Monday said that the “ramming” incident in the West Philippine Sea had no effect and was in no way related to the Scarborough Shoal dispute, warning people should not link the two events.
Senator Edgardo Angara on Tuesday cautioned the government against further aggravating the dispute with China over the Scarborough Shoal (Panatag shoal).
A lawmaker on Tuesday said that the shipmaster of the cargo vessel that allegedly rammed a Philippine fishing boat last week should be charged for the incident.
The Philippine Coast Guard on Monday said a Hong Kong-registered commercial ship was most likely the vessel that rammed a Philippine fishing boat in the West Philippine Sea last week, killing a Filipino fisherman and leaving four others missing.
Philippine defense and civilian officials on Monday briefed General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, on China’s aggressive posture in the West Philippine Sea and reiterated to him the urgency of the Philippines’ need to have a credible defense in the disputed waters.
President Aquino left Monday afternoon for the United Kingdom and the United States for a working trip and a state visit, respectively.
