Chinese flag planted off Kota Island in West PHL Sea, Alejano says

Magdalo party-list Representative Gary Alejano on Tuesday revealed that a Chinese flag has been planted seven nautical miles off Kota Island in the West Philippines Sea.

The announcement came less than a week after Alejano claimed that Chinese vessels have also been deployed near Pag-asa Island.

"According to the information that I received, a Chinese flag mounted on a steel pipe was discovered planted on a sand cay located seven nautical miles northeast off Kota Island. It was discovered around third week of July 2017," Alejano told reporters in a press conference at the House of Representatives.

"A Chinese vessel allegedly erected the said 3-meter high Chinese flag on a sand cay which is known to be within a Philippine-controlled area," he added.

Alejano said the continuous activities of China in the West Philippine Sea are "very concerning."

"These recently reported incidents only reveal that Chinese activities in the West Philippine Sea have not stopped amid warmer relations between the Philippines and China," he said.

"Furthermore, this contradicts China’s supposed commitment to peace and stability in the area through maintaining the status quo," he added.

With this, the lawmaker called on the Philippine government to be transparent on the issues related to the West Philippine Sea.

"Their denial or silence and inaction are not helping while things like these happen on the ground. While the Philippines is pursuing bilateral engagements with China, the government has the responsibility to inform the public through providing appropriate and careful information meant for public consumption," he said.

"The Filipino people are entitled to know to make sure that Philippine national interests are not set aside. Besides being an issue of territorial integrity, it also has immediate security and economic implications which definitely mean something to our fellow Filipinos living in the area," he added.

Earlier in the day, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano assured lawmakers that the department will inform the public if there is a cause of concern or alarm in the situation in the West Philippine Sea.

"So let me assure na despite the lack of details that we give you, we will tell you if there is an alarming situation, or if the public is in danger, or if we are going take or step up certain actions that needs the public's support or knowledge," he said. —KBK, GMA News