By Genalyn Kabiling The Chinese vessels reportedly sailing near Pag-asa Island should leave the area following the government's protest over their presence, Malacañang said Tuesday. Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo
(OPS / MANILA BULLETIN) Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said the Department of Foreign Affairs was expected to file a note verbale opposing the presence of the foreign ships in the area. "Nagrereklamo na nga tayo bakit kayo nandiyan, oh di effectively pinaaalis mo na iyon ," Panelo said during a news conference at the Palace. "We already filed a note verbale on that, we’re against it," he added. Asked if the government will pursue other steps apart from the note verbale against China, Panelo said: "Meron pa bang hindi matindi doon sasabihin mong ‘puwede ba eh, mali kayo diyan, umalis kayo diyan ,'" he added. If the ships don't leave the area, Panelo said the government would look for "another course of action to assert our sovereignty." The government earlier confirmed that more than 200 Chinese vessels have sailed near Pag-asa Island in the first three months of the year. Panelo said the vessels were "stationary" staying in the place between a day and a week. He said based on the information from the military's western command, the Department of Foreign Affairs has filed a diplomatic protest against the presence of the Chinese ships. Meantime, Panelo has blamed the Aquino administration for doing nothing when China was still starting its reclamation works in the disputed region years ago. "Lahat ng problema ngayon kaya nandito because of you – pinaalala ninyo eh. Iyong problema kasi—maliit na problema, lumaki nang lumaki dahil sa inyo, wala kayong ginawa ," he said. "Kung may ginawa man kayo, nandiyan na ," he said referring to China's activities in the South China Sea. He said the past administration could have stopped the problem when China was in the early stage of its actions in the disputed territory. The situation worsened when the past administration ordered the pullout of local ships from Panatag Shoal years ago, Panelo added. He was apparently referring to the 2012 standoff between Philippine and Chinese ships at the Panatag shoal. "Sana hindi sila nagtagumpay doon kasi mayroong nagbabantay din doon. Siyempre ‘pag mayroon kang Navy vessel doon na armado rin, kahit pa marami kayo kung ayaw mo rin ng giyera, manu-neutralize ka niyan] ," he said. "But by removing yourself there, o talo ka na kaagad, wala na ," he added. He also told the past administration officials to make good suggestions to address the situation instead of just criticizing the present government. "Mag-suggest kayo ng magandang gawin, papakinggan pa kayo. Hindi iyong sisisihin ninyo kami, eh kayo ang may kasalanan ," he said.