MANILA (UPDATED)— Manila has filed a diplomatic protest over the Chinese Coast Guard's seizure of rocket debris that the Filipino personnel found near Pag-asa Island in the West Philippine Sea, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Friday.

DFA spokesperson Teresita Daza said the protest note dated December 12 was sent to the Chinese Embassy following the note verbale announced on November 24 that sought clarification from China over the incident.

“The Department appreciates the clarity with which the Senate has expressed its views on a wide scope of issues on the WPS. Specific to the rocket debris retrieval operations of the Philippine Navy, the DFA has undertaken appropriate diplomatic action to protest and make known our views on the illegal actions of the CCG (Chinese Coast Guard) on 20 November 2022,” the DFA said in a statement.

“There was a protest filed after the NV (note verbale) seeking clarification over the incident,” Daza added.

The DFA has yet to specify when the protest was filed.

The agency's statement came days after the Senate adopted a resolution denouncing China's incursions in Philippine waters, with senators taking turns expressing dismay over the actions of the Chinese Coast Guard.

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Beijing claims sovereignty over almost the entire sea and has ignored an international court ruling that its claims have no legal basis. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei have overlapping claims to parts of it.

A senior Filipino Navy official in November had accused the Chinese Coast Guard of "forcefully" seizing parts of a rocket fairing that landed in the waters of the Spratly Islands. But Beijing insisted the handover took place after "friendly consultation".

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President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said his planned visit to China in January could be an opportunity to find a way to avoid further incidents.

"We want to have a mechanism, we have to find a way to prevent this from happening again," he said.

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— With a report from Agence France-Presse

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