PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has appointed former Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Teodoro “Teddy Boy” Locsin Jr. as Special Envoy of the President to the People’s Republic of China for Special Concerns.
This was announced by the Presidential Communications Office on Wednesday.
Earlier, Marcos designated Locsin as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Locsin’s appointment came after the recent incident in Ayungin Shoal where the Chinese Coas Guard (CCG) had performed dangerous maneuvers and illegally used water cannons against Philippine vessels that were on a resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre.
A note verbale was lodged following the incident.
China has since claimed that the Philippine government had promised to remove the BRP Sierra Madre from the Ayungin Shoal, which Beijing calls Ren’ai Jiao.
However, Marcos denied that the Philippine government made such a promise to China. He also said he is rescinding if ever there is such an agreement.
“I’m not aware of any such arrangement or agreement that the Philippines will remove from its own territory its ship, in this case, the BRP Sierra Madre from the Ayungin Shoal,” Marcos said in a video message last week.
The President strongly said that he is rescinding any commitment should there really be an existing agreement between the two countries on the removal of the vessel.
metrosundaily
