The Foreign Affairs department has formally protested China’s reported mass harvesting of giant clams at the disputed Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, which Malacañang on Tuesday called as an “affront” to the Philippines. A television news report by ABS-CBN showed Filipino fishers saying Chinese boats had been doing clam extraction at Panatag “for years,” clouding the waters and affecting their fish catch. In a news briefing, Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said the Chinese move was “definitely” a breach of the Philippines’ sovereignty.

Villanueva, R. U., & Reyes, D. (2019, April 17). PH protects Chinese fishing at Panatag. The Manila Times, pp. A1, A2.