Manila: The Philippine government announced on Tuesday night that no agreement has been reached between Beijing and Manila that obligates the Philippines to tow away the BRP Sierra Madre from the Ayungin Shoal. According to Philippines News Agency, Department of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson for Maritime Affairs Rogelio Villanueva Jr. issued this statement in response to the Chinese Embassy in Manila's claim that the Philippines had made a 'repeated promise to remove' the warship from the disputed area. Villanueva emphasized that the Philippine government firmly rejects any assertion suggesting such promises were made to China. Villanueva clarified that the BRP Sierra Madre, a commissioned Philippine naval vessel, is permanently stationed in the Ayungin Shoal, which is part of the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and continental shelf. He stated that Ayungin Shoal, being a low-tide elevation, cannot generate its own maritime entitlements and cannot be subject to a sovereignty claim by another coun try. He also criticized China's maritime law enforcement actions in the Ayungin Shoal, stating that these actions infringe on the Philippines' sovereign rights and jurisdiction and are violations of international law. The Chinese Embassy's claim was initially made by Deputy Spokesperson Guo Wei in a statement posted on Facebook on September 12. The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs also refuted China's interpretation of the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, asserting that the law's passage is an exercise of the Philippines' sovereign prerogative, consistent with international norms and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Villanueva reiterated that the 2016 Arbitral Award, which is final and binding on both the Philippines and China, was rendered by an arbitral tribunal under UNCLOS. He urged China to respect and fulfill its obligations under international law. Despite these tensions, Villanueva noted that Manila remains open to dialogue and peaceful dispute resolution while c ontinuing to exercise its rights to uphold its sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction.