Palace: No Chinese flag planted near PH-controlled Kota Island

At a press conference, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella refuted claims that a Chinese flag was detected in the sandy cay around the third week of July this year.

Abella said a "very reliable" source had assured him that there was no presence of any flag planted by China on the site.

"I inquired about that and apparently, as of this stage, there is no flag," Abella said.

"According to the source [whom] I referred to, there was none. There was no flag ring that time. It’s a very reliable source," he added.

On Tuesday, Magdalo Representative Gary Alejano alleged that a Chinese flag was planted on a sandy cay near Kota Island.

Alejano said he received the information from a source that a Chinese vessel planted the three-meter flag in the sandy cay last month.

"According to the information that I received, a Chinese flag mounted on a steel pipe was discovered planted on a sandy cay located seven nautical miles northeast off Kota Island. It was discovered around third week of July," Alejano said.

“A Chinese vessel allegedly erected the said three-meter high Chinese flag on a sand cay, which is known to be a Philippine-controlled area,” the lawmaker added.

Alejano's revelation came following the statement of Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio that the Chinese government virtually invaded Sandy Cay, a sandbar off the coast of Pagasa Island.

The sandy cay Alejano was referring to is not the Sandy Cay that was purportedly seized by China.

While no Chinese flag was discovered on the sand cay, Abella confirmed that the Philippine government obtained information that there are some people who pass through the area.

"But it seems that the place, in itself, is subject to many passers-through and in fact, there are evidences of people who do park there," Abella said.

"These are not military but mainly these are citizens who maybe – but this is not verified – mainly, these are citizens and not white or gray ships," he added.