Manila, June 17 -- A ranking Philippine Navy (PN) official on Tuesday disputed Chinese claims that it conducted coordinated air and maritime patrol as Filipino and Japanese military units were holding their second bilateral maritime cooperative activity (MCA) in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) last week.

"The PN did not monitor any coordinated air and maritime patrols in our maritime zones conducted by the Southern Theater Command. What we have monitored is the continued illegal presence in our maritime zones of the PLA (People's Liberation Army) Navy and the China Coast Guard (CCG), specifically in Bajo de Masinloc, Pag-asa (Island) Sabina, and Ayungin Shoals," PN spokesperson for WPS, Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, said in media brie...