Philippine Navy chief Vice Adm. Giovanni Carlo Bacordo expressed belief that the Chinese surveillance vessel near the Recto Bank in West Philippine Sea is really conducting survey in the area.

"We'd like to conclude that indeed they are conducting surveys because they have been there for about a week already, and the speed is something less than three knots and your only doing that if your conducting actual surveys," he said in a virtual forum with the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) on Monday.

Bacordo said the Philippine Navy also found out that the Chinese surveillance vessel does not have clearance to conduct survey in the area.

"It also come to my attention of the presence of the two Chinese surveillance vessels in Recto Bank. Right now, I think there's only one. We have report of this already and we have checked if they have any clearance to conduct any survey in that area and now we found out that there is none," he said.

Bacordo said the Philippine Navy will request for the filing of diplomatic protest because of the presence of the Chinese surveillance vessel.

"We will be submitting this report to the defense department and request for the filing of diplomatic protest," he said.

Bacordo said sending a Philippine Navy ship in the area is an option depending on the decision of the Western Command (Wescom) chief.

"Yes, sending of (a) Navy ship in that area is an option but then again I believe that's (the call of) the area commander the operational commander of Eestern Command," he said. Robina Asido/DMS