Malacañang doubted the claims of Chinese fishermen that Filipinos besieged them during an incident at Reed Bank in the West Philippine Sea earlier this month. Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo on Tuesday said it was impossible for the Filipino fishermen to besiege the Chinese vessel when the latter was the one who hit them on June 9. “First of all, how can that be?…Eh nabangga nga eh, nabangga at kumalat na nga, iyong mga Filipino fishermen nakakapit na nga doon sa almost submerged boat,” Panelo said.

Co, A. S. (2019, June 26). Palace: China claims over Reed Bank incident doubtful. Panay News, pp. 5, 10.