The Department of Foreign Affairs on Friday renewed its call for China to immediately cease its activities and leave Panganiban (Mischief) Reef and Zamora (Subi) Reef, following a recent incident in which Chinese forces fired flares near an unarmed Philippine Coast Guard aircraft conducting a maritime patrol in the West Philippine Sea. In a statement, the DFA said both Panganiban Reef and Zamora Reef are low-tide elevations (LTEs), or features that are submerged at high tide and exposed at low tide. The department said Panganiban Reef lies within 200 nautical miles of the Philippines’ archipelagic baselines and therefore forms part of the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and continental shelf.

Talosig-Bartolome, M. (2026, September 12). DFA renews demand for China to leave Mischief, Subi reefs after flare incident. BusinessMirror, p. A4.