President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. on Wednesday asserted that there is no existing agreement between China and the Philippines on the removal of the military ship BRP Sierra Madre from Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

“I’m not aware of any such arrangement or agreement that the Philippines will remove from its own territory its ship, in this case, the BRP Sierra Madre from the Ayungin Shoal,” he said in a video statement posted by the Presidential Communications Office.

But the President if such an agreement exists, he will move to repeal it.

Marcos’s statements contradicted the claim of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs that the country vowed to remove the military ship from Ayungin Shoal.

“The Philippines promised several times to tow it away but has yet to act," the Foreign Affairs Ministry said in a statement.

China then demanded the immediate removal of the vessel from Ayungin Shoal which it calls Ren'ai Reef.

Meanwhile, in a separate statement, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesperson Teresita Daza said that the deployment of the BRP Sierra Madre is the country's "inherent right" and this does not violate any international laws.

“The BRP Sierra Madre is a commissioned vessel of the Philippine Navy that serves as the permanent station for Philippine military personnel deployed to protect and secure Philippines right,” she added.

Earlier, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) stood firm that the BRP Sierra Madre is within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

The BRP Sierra Madre has been stationed in Ayungin Shoal since 1999.