President Rodrigo Duterte has accepted China’s proposal for a joint investigation of the June 9 incident near Recto Bank in the South China Sea where a Chinese trawler rammed and sank a Philippine fishing boat and then abandoned its 22-man crew. The President wants representatives from China, the Philippines and a neutral country to handle the marine inquiry, according to his spokesperson, Salvador Panelo. The President acceded to China’s wish a day after Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said Beijing’s proposal for a joint probe was an infringement on Philippine sovereignty. He said Malacañang supported his position.

Salaverria, L. B., Aning, J., Cinco, M. & Virola, M. T. (2019, June 23). Du30: PH, China, 'neutral' state to probe hit-and-run. Philippine Daily Inquirer, pp. A1, A6.