Plano nang idulog ng Pilipinas sa International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) ang gusot nito sa China kaugnay ng pinagtatalunang Scarborough Shoal.

Hinamon ng Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) ang pamahalaang China na isumite sa ITLOS ang usapin upang mapatunayan kung sino ang tunay na nagmamay-ari sa Scarborough Shoal.

"In pursuing a peaceful settlement of the Scarborough Shoal issue, we fully intend to humbly invite our Chinese friends to join us in the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea (ITLOS)," ayon sa kalatas na ipinalabas ni DFA Secretary Albert del Rosario.

"The purpose of the exercise will be to ascertain which of us has sovereign rights over the waters surrounding Scarborough Shoal where Chinese ships are currently engaging in illegal activities within the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)."

Sa isang press conference, muling hinamon ng DFA ang China na kung sigurado itong sa kanila nga ang Scarborough Shoal ay lumutang sila sa ITLOS at hintayin ang desisyon ng international body tungkol dito.

"Anybody could use historical claim or historical title for them to claim any of their claim. But it supposed to be validated. It needs an international body to validate and make a decision."

"If they are confident enough to have this claim validated, then let's go to ITLOS," sabi ni DFA Spokesperson Atty. Raul Hernandez.

Nanindigan si Hernandez na sakop ng Pilipinas ang Scarborough Shoal at hindi sa China.

"It (Scarborough Shoal) is 271 nautical miles away from Hainan province, China but it's only 200 nautical miles away from our exclusive continental shelf," paliwanag ni Hernandez.

Wala rin aniyang paglabag na ginawa ang Pilipinas sa kasunduan nito sa China nang ipadala ang M/Y Sarangani, ang Philippine-registered boat sa Bajo de Masinloc sa Scarborough Shoal.

"The vessel doing the survey and I believe there is another fishing boat inside the lagoon."

"That area is open but what we would like to find out that these Chinese fishing vessels are not doing illegal activities there."

"That is part of our Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). We have our own exclusive right to explore manage living or non-living in that area," dagdag pa ni Hernandez.

Una nang inihayag ng DFA na maghahain ito ng panibagong protesta kontra China dahil sa pangha-harass umano ng Chinese vessel at aircraft sa M/Y Sarangani.

Nakatakda na ring dumulog ang pamahalaan sa Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) na siyang mamamagitan sa tumitinding girian ng Pilipinas at China. With a report from Henry Atuelan, Radyo Patrol 44