MANILA, Philippines — China has refused a third party investigation on the June 9 sinking of a Filipino boat at Recto Bank in the West Philippine Sea.
“China does not want a third party,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a Palace briefing on Monday.
Duterte had earlier said he was okay with having a third party investigation even as he agreed on a Philippines-China probe on the sinking of the Filipino boat.
READ: Duterte OK with having third party in probe of boat sinking
A Chinese trawler rammed a Filipino boat and left 22 Filipino fishermen at sea on the night early June.
But Duterte had downplayed the incident as just a “little maritime accident,” saying the Filipino boat was not sunk but merely “sideswiped” – a normal occurrence in the open sea.
READ: Duterte: PH boat not rammed but ‘sideswiped’ by Chinese vessel
(Editor: Katherine G. Adraneda)