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'Philippines, Province of China' banners hung in parts of capital

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ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA -- <strong>(UPDATED) </strong>Red banners with the words &quot;Welcome to the Philippines, Province of China&quot; were hung on several pedestrian overpasses in the capital on Thursday, the second anniversary of the Philippines&#x27; win over China in an international arbitration court.</p><p>The message was written in both English and Mandarin. The banners had a similar design and also bore the Chinese flag. It was not immediately clear who installed the signs.</p><p>Ronald Gustilo posted a photo of one of the banners, which he said was hung on the pedestrian overpass in Philcoa, Quezon City.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/focus/07/12/16/read-arbitral-courts-ruling-on-philippines-vs-china">READ: Arbitral court&#x27;s ruling on Philippines vs China</a></li></ul><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/focus/07/08/16/why-the-philippines-legal-case-vs-china-matters">Why the Philippines&#x27; legal case vs China matters</a></li></ul><p>&quot;Anong kalokohan ito?&quot; Gustilo captioned his Facebook post.</p><script src="https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&amp;version=v2.5" async="" type="text/javascript"></script><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1789936017767783&amp;id=100002542056715" data-width="auto"> </div><p>Similar banners were spotted on footbridges on Quezon Avenue in Quezon City, on the southbound lane of C5, and near the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City.</p><div class="media-content"><div class="slider-for"><div><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/news/07/12/banner1.jpg"/></div><div><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/news/07/12/banner2.jpg"/></div><div><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/news/07/12/banner3.jpg"/></div><div><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/news/07/12/banner4.jpg"/></div><div><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/news/07/12/banner5.jpg"/></div></div><div class="media-content slider-desc"><div class="item-desc"><p>One of the banners was hung along Quezon Avenue in Quezon City.<cite> Photo by: Johnson Manabat, ABS-CBN News</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>One of the banners was hung along Quezon Avenue in Quezon City.<cite> Photo by: Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>One of the banners was hung along Quezon Avenue in Quezon City.<cite> Photo by: Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>A tarpaulin that says the Philippines is a province of China was seen along the south bound lane of C5.<cite> Photo courtesy: Tasha Tuazon</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Another banner was seen on a pedestrian overpass near the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City.<cite> Photo courtesy: Ryan Pontejos</cite></p></div></div></div><p>Former Solicitor General Florin Hilbay posted a photo of another of the tarpaulin and asked the government agencies to take down the banner that has sparked negative comments.</p><p>&quot;Not funny. On this day, July 12, we commemorate our victory in Philippines v China,&quot; said Hilbay, who led the Philippines&#x27; legal panel that protested China&#x27;s sweeping claims in the South China Sea before the Permanent Court of Arbitration.</p><p>In a decision released on July 12, 2016, the Hague-based tribunal &quot;found that China had violated the Philippines’ sovereign rights in its exclusive economic zone&quot; after the Asian giant interfered with Philippine fishing and oil exploration in the area, constructed artificial islands and allowed Chinese fishermen to fishing in the zone.</p><p>President Rodrigo Duterte refused to flaunt the decision as he sought closer ties with Beijing, while turning away from Manila&#x27;s traditional ally Washington.</p><p>Asked for comment, Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the installation of the banners was &quot;absurd.&quot; </p><p>&quot;I&#x27;m sure it&#x27;s the enemies of the government that&#x27;s behind it. So to them, try again. You need a better gimmick than that,&quot; he said in a press briefing. </p><p>&quot;We assure the public on the second year anniversary that we will continue to assert what is ours while we move on with our bilateral relations with China,&quot; Roque added.</p><p>Duterte&#x27;s predecessor, Benigno &quot;Noynoy&quot; Aquino III initiated the arbitration case but the court handed down its verdict less than a month after the incumbent took over.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/12/16/philippines-hails-arbitration-win-calls-for-restraint">Philippines hails arbitration win, calls for ‘restraint’</a></li></ul>

<p>The message was written in both English and Mandarin. The banners had a similar design and also bore the Chinese flag. It was not immediately clear who installed the signs.</p>

The message was written in both English and Mandarin. The banners had a similar design and also bore the Chinese flag. It was not immediately clear who installed the signs.