Malacañang has opted to say little for now about China’s recent activities in the South China Sea, including its erection of a monument on Kagitingan Reef and landing military planes on another reef within the Philippines’ territory in the strategic waterway. Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a television interview on Wednesday that the Department of Foreign Affairs was studying diplomatic actions it could take regarding China’s construction of the monument and its landing of Xian Y-7 military transport planes on Panganiban Reef, which is located within the Philippines’ 370-kilometer exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the South China Sea known as West Philippine Sea.

Salaverria, L. B. (2018, April 26). DFA studying move on China monument. Philippine Daily Inquirer, p. A2.