By Patricia Lourdes Viray
MANILA, Philippines (2nd update, 2:56 p.m.) — A day after Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II announced that the Philippines is set to file a formal protest in The Hague against China's reported plan to build on Scarborough (Panatag) Shoal, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said it is only sending a note verbale to Beijing.
In Bangkok on Wednesday, acting Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo neither confirmed nor denied the reported "strong" protest against China. The DFA's spokesperson, however, said Aguirre was unlikely to be referring to a protest filed before a United Nations-backed tribunal.
"I think Secretary Aguirre was referring to the note that the DFA should give to the Chinese side, should the report be confirmed to be true," Assistant Secretary Charles Jose said in a phone patch interview on ANC's "News Now."
A note verbale is a diplomatic communication sent by a government to another to seek clarification on policies. Jose said, however, that once the China's construction plan on the dispute shoal is confirmed, the Philippines will send China a different note of protest.
Manalo, meanwhile, said that the Philippines is still waiting for China's reply regarding its reported plan on the disputed shoal.
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