The Philippines, through the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), has sent a note verbale to China over the latest incident at Ayungin Shoal where a Filipino sailor lost a thumb.

According to DFA Secretary Enrique Manalo, the Philippine government had sent the note verbale through Chinese Ambassador to Manila Huang Xilian.

Manalo confirmed this to reporters on Wednesday on the sidelines of the East-West Center’s International Media Conference where he was one of the guest speakers.

Last week, at least eight Filipino sailors were injured, including one whose thumb was severed, in a confrontation with the China Coast Guard at Ayungin Shoal.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines said the Chinese intercepted the resupply boats of the Philippine Navy and came on board wielding bolos, knives and spears.

Manalo had earlier expressed the Philippine government’s intent to bring China back to the negotiating table for talks amid the increasing tensions in the West Philippine Sea.

“We will pursue the peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international laws, specifically the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2016 arbitral award. And we have been working hard to bring back China to the table to talk with us to resolve our differences on these issues,” he told lawmakers during a Senate hearing on Tuesday.

Not a pawn

In his keynote speech at the conference, Manalo denied the Philippines was a proxy for another country in a war between two great powers.

“For far too long, the narrative surrounding the West Philippine Sea has been obscured by disinformation, coupled with attacks against our government’s IT infrastructure,” he said.

“One such false narrative paints the West Philippine Sea as merely a stage for a great power rivalry in the region, that the Philippines is just a pawn in this game, and that we act only at the behest of another country,” he said.

“This reductionist view muddles our understanding of the complex situation on the ground and detracts from the real crux of the issue — that a country is choosing to ignore international law, in particular the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea as affirmed by the 2016 arbitral award, and the legitimate rights and interests of coastal states, such as the Philippines,” Manalo said.

He stressed that “only a faithful implementation of the rules in the maritime space can effectively reduce conflicts over maritime boundaries and resource claims, thereby promoting peace and stability at sea.”