Vice-President Maria Leonor G. Robredo on Sunday urged President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s “administration to take immediate and appropriate actions, including the filing of a diplomatic protest” in the wake of China’s reported missile systems in areas of the Spratlys claimed by the Philippines. Ms. Robredo in her statement said this would be “in line with the ruling of the United Nations (UN) Arbitral Tribunal,” referring to the arbitral case brought to the Hague by the previous Aquino administration, which led to the ruling in the Philippines’ favor in Mr. Duterte’s first year in office as Philippine president. CNBC earlier reported anti-ship cruise missiles and surface-to-air missile systems deployed on Fiery Cross Reef, Subi Reef and Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands, locally called Kagitingan, Zamora, and Panganiban reefs.

Aguinaldo, C. A., & Tadalan, C. A. (2018, May 7). Veep urges filing of protest on Chinese missiles. BusinessWorld, pp. S1/12.