Palace: Still no confirmation of Chinese structures being built at Panatag Shoal {basillio} gmanetwork/news/story/311953/news/nation/palace-still-no-confirmation-of-chinese-structures-being-built-at-panatag-shoal Malacañang on Saturday said it has not yet received any confirmation of reports that China is allegedly building structures in the disputed Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal. Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the Palace and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) continue to verify such information. “We have not received confirmation on the structures in Panatag Shoal,” he said on government-run dzRB radio. Lacierda said he had asked AFP chief of staff Gen. Emmanuel Bautista about the matter Friday, and was told the military was also still “verifying those reports.” The Panatag Shoal had been at the center of renewed tension between the Philippines and China since April 2012, when Philippine forces found Chinese vessels gathering species from the area. However, as the Philippine forces were about to arrest the Chinese fishermen, Chinese ships blocked their path. Modernization Meanwhile, Lacierda reiterated the government is working to achieve a “minimum credible defense position.” He indicated that lawmakers who wish to add to the budget of the AFP may take part in the budget deliberation process. “But insofar as the executive branch is concerned, the President has already made substantial devotion of resources to ensuring the modernization of the AFP,” he said. - VVP, GMA News
Posted on: Sat, 08 Jun 2013 09:25:52 +0000