By Evelyn Macairan
MANILA, Philippines - Supreme Court (SC) Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio yesterday expressed belief that China is breaking its vow not to occupy any more islands in the Spratlys area because it is allegedly virtually occupying a new geological feature called Sandy Cay in the West Philippine Sea.
In a statement, Carpio said China is guarding Sandy Cay located some 2.5 nautical miles off Pag-asa Island in the West Philippine Sea and well within Pag-asa’s 12 nautical miles territorial waters.
It reportedly has two frigates, a coast guard vessel and two military fishing boats around Sandy Cay.
“Sandy Cay is a Philippine land territory that is being seized – to put it mildly – or being invaded – to put it frankly – by China,” said Carpio.
He urged President Duterte and Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano to defend and protect the country’s territory since they have both “vowed to the Filipino people that they will not concede a single inch of Philippine territory to China.”
“The very least that they could do now is to vigorously protest this invasion of Philippine territory by China.”
Read the full story at PhilStar