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"This exercise of our sovereign rights and jurisdiction is a
testament to our firm belief in the rules-based international
order that underpins regional peace and stability," armed forces
spokesperson Medel Aguilar said in a statement.
Manila filed a diplomatic protest against Beijing this month
after China's coast guard used water cannon and "dangerous"
moves to prevent the Philippines from sending supplies to a
handful of troops in the Second Thomas Shoal.
China claims almost all the South China Sea, an assertion
rejected internationally, while Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei,
Taiwan and the Philippines have various claims to certain areas.
Manila calls on all relevant parties to respect its sovereignty
and jurisdiction over its maritime zones, Aguilar said, adding
that Manila supports the peaceful settlement of disputes.
China's embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a
request for comment. The Chinese coast guard said on Aug. 7 it
had told the Philippines not to send ships to the shoal and not
to send "construction materials used for large-scale repair and
reinforcement" to the warship.
The Philippines intentionally grounded the warship in 1999 as
part of its sovereignty claim to the shoal, which lies within
its 200-mile exclusive economic zone.
The planned resupply mission "is a clear demonstration of our
resolve to stand up against threats and coercion, and our
commitment in upholding the rule of law", the armed forces said.
In 2016, an international arbitration award invalidated China's
sweeping claim to almost the entire South China Sea.
China, which does not recognise the ruling, has built man-made
islands with airstrips and surface-to-air missiles in the South
China Sea.
(Reporting by Neil Jerome Morales; Editing by William Mallard)
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