A Chinese research vessel that stayed a few days in Philippine waters had clearance from the Department of Foreign Affairs to seek shelter, owing to bad weather, but not to stay, the DFA clarified on Tuesday, after the ship had departed—but not before stirring up another social- media frenzy. “A Chinese research vessel was given authority by the [DFA] to seek shelter in Philippine waters to evade bad weather but not to stay,” Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. said in a tweet, to stop social media from muddying the issue. Locsin added that the request for shelter was made on Saturday, “before any report of intrusion why it was an emergency,” noting that the request did not mean the “permission to stay and be watched.”

Mercene, R. (2021, February 3). China boat was cleared for shelter, DFA clarifies. Business Mirror, pp. A12, A2.