Chinese vessels remained on Julian Felipe (Whitsun) Reef in the West Philippine Sea, ignoring Philippine government protests. PCG Photo
MANILA, Philippines — Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Thursday ordered the filing of a diplomatic protest over the presence of 287 Chinese vessels scattered in the West Philippine Sea.
“@DFAPHL (Department of Foreign Affairs), fire diplomatic protest,” Locsin said on Twitter, tagging the official account of the DFA.
Manila’s top diplomat, meanwhile, scored the National Task Force West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) for issuing a press release on the presence of the vessels supposedly without informing the DFA first.
“Maybe these idiots will have learned the protocol next time. I took this up with the President in Davao. We have a disease: everybody and his uncle wants to be a hero fighting China from the anonymity of a task force,” Locsin stressed.
@DFAPHL fire diplomatic protest. Maybe these idiots will have learned the protocol next time. I took this up with the President in Davao. We have a disease: everybody and his uncle wants to be a hero fighting China from the anonymity of a task force. https://t.co/vqEqjQsrkl
— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) May 13, 2021
On Thursday, the NTF-WPS reported that at least 287 China vessels were spotted in the West Philippines Sea based on a maritime patrol conducted last May 4.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro “Teddy Boy” Locsin Jr. (FILE PHOTO)
The Philippines has filed numerous diplomatic protests over the lingering presence of Chinese vessels in the area, most notably in the vicinity of Julian Felipe Reef.