Lorenzana says Chinese Coast Guard intermittently present around Pagasa Island

February 20, 2020

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Thursday there were intermittent presence of China Coast Guard vessels around  Pagasa Island.

"There were presence there intermittently but varying in numbers," he said after Gregory Poling, director of the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) tweeted about the presence of Chinese vessels.

"China has maintained a constant maritime militia and CCG deployment around Thitu Island ( Pagasa Island) for 424 days and counting. Somehow this isn't on the front pages of the Manila papers," Poling said.

Reacting on Poling's post, Lorenzana emphasized that the Philippines will not allow outsiders to dictate how it manages its affairs.

"Let him tweet. Why is he so interested in this? What is it to him? And on the basis of his tweet we are expected to jump and react? No way,s ir. We will not allow anybody, specially outsiders to dictate how we manage our affairs," he said. Robina Asido/DMS