Palace not keen on filing diplomatic protest over Spratlys issue

UPDATED 12:30 p.m. - Malacañang is not keen on lodging a diplomatic protest against China over its reported building of a lighthouse in a Philippine-claimed area of the Spratly Islands. Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) head Herminio Coloma Jr. said the Palace has tasked the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to keep close watch on the matter. "Maselan kasi ang paglalahad ng diplomatic protest, di maaring gawin lang yan. Nagmamasid at nagsusuri nang husto ang ating awtoridad hinggil sa bagay na yan," Coloma said in an interview on dzXL radio on Thursday. (Filing a diplomatic protest is a sensitive issue. It cannot be done just like that. We have to study the matter closely first. In the meantime, authorities are closely monitoring the developments there.) He said the DFA and AFP are keeping tabs particularly on the "security aspect" of the issue. He did not elaborate. In a separate interview in Malacañang on Thursday, Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Secretary said the Palace is not alarmed over China's building of a lighthouse in the area because the move was "fairly benign." "The structures weren't built yesterday. We're aware of them," he said. "We've (claimants) all agreed not to take any provocative action. There's a code of conduct that we all want to adhere to." A recent report of VERA Files said China constructed a lighthouse on Subi Reef in a disputed area in the South China Sea. The report said Chinese troops are occupying the area being claimed by both the Philippines and Vietnam. – VVP, GMANews.TV