Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana countered China’s latest claims of sovereignty over islands and features in the West Philippine Sea yesterday, emphasizing that it is the Chinese who are encroaching on Philippine waters. “Their claims according to their so-called historical rights have no basis,” he said, noting that the Philippines, on the contrary, has two international documents proving that the area belongs to the country. “Therefore, it is they who are encroaching and should desist and leave,” Lorenzana said in reaction to China Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin’s pronouncements on Monday.

Punongbayan, M., Cabrera, R., Romero, P., Porcalla, D., Punay, E., Lee-Brago, P., Felipe, C. S. (2021, April 29). Lorenzana: China encroaching on Phl waters. The Philippine Star, p. 2.