President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on late Sunday evening, said that the illegal presence of Chinese vessels in Philippine waters is "an outright and blatant violation of international law and the rules-based international order."

The President's statement came in response to a series of incidents over the weekend, where the Chinese ships used water cannons against the Philippine Coast Guard vessels during a resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre (LT-57).

One of the latest incidents documented in the region involved the Chinese Coast Guard ramming into a civilian ship, Unaizah Mae 1, as reported by the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea.

Hence, the "Atin Ito" coalition decided to return to El Nido, Palawan, instead of proceeding with its original mission to deliver gifts and donations to Philippine troops and residents in the West Philippine Sea.

In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), Marcos said that China's aggressive behavior toward Filipino vessels in the West Philippine Sea on Sunday has further strengthened the country's resolve to defend its sovereignty within its territory.

"The aggression and provocations perpetrated by the China Coast Guard and their Chinese Maritime Militia against our vessels and personnel over the weekend have only further steeled our determination to defend and protect our nation's sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction in the West Philippine Sea," Marcos said.

He emphasized that he has been in constant communication with the national security and defense leadership and has directed the Philippine military to fulfill their missions while prioritizing the safety of personnel.

Marcos also underscored that Ayungin Shoal is within the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone.

"Any foreign claim of sovereignty over it is baseless and absolutely contrary to international law. Bajo de Masinloc is a sovereign Philippine territory and an integral part of our archipelago," Marcos said.

"No one but the Philippines has a legitimate right or legal basis to operate anywhere in the West Philippine Sea," he added.

The Philippines and China have a lengthy track record of maritime clashes in the disputed West Philippine Sea, an area crucial for trillions of dollars in annual trade passage.

The said incident persists despite the 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, which deemed China's claims in those waters as lacking legal grounds and declared its construction of artificial islands in contested areas as unlawful.

Beijing opted out of the proceedings and has disregarded the court's decision. Alongside the Philippines and China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan also assert their claims in the region.