MANILA, April 28 -- The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Monday made a blanket call on countries to refrain from conducting actions that complicate the situation in the South China Sea while negotiations on a Code of Conduct (COC) on the South China Sea are ongoing.

The statement comes following local reports bearing photos of the China Coast Guard raising a Chinese flag on the Sandy Cay, saying Beijing has enforced "maritime management and exercised sovereign jurisdiction" over the feature.

In an interview on the sidelines of the Philippines-hosted High-Level Conference of Middle Income Countries in Makati City, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said the government is monitoring this development.

"Well, of course, we are ...