scarborough shoal News

Manila - Two Filipino legislators have openly expressed support for the rearmament of Japan, saying such development, amid the ongoing discord the Philippines has with China on the Scarborough Shoal issue, should not be a cause of concern.

After years of incursions China made in waters around a shoal found in Philippine waters, Manila has finally brought to the attention of the United Nations (UN) arbitration tribunal the territorial dispute for resolution.

Philippine Senator Gregorio Honasan wants the United States to deploy US troops in Scarborough Shoal and other disputed areas of the West Philippine Sea to help secure and protect Philippine interests there.

Philippine President Benigno Aquino said the Philippines may seek the help of the US by deploying its spy planes to monitor Chinese naval activities in the disputed territories in the west Philippine sea

The former captain of the Philippine marines, who was set to sail Friday to Scarborough Shoal, has decided to postpone his trip after Philippine President Aquino requested him to call off the trip in deference to ongoing diplomatic talks with China

A former official of the Philippine marines and a group of concerned citizens of the Philippines are set to sail to Scarborough Shoal, a disputed territory being claimed by China and Philippines amid ongoing talks to diffuse the tense standoff in the area

While the current state of disagreement between China and the Philippines over the Scarborough Shoal and, more generally, the South China Sea, is certainly not new, tensions seem to be rising.

The Philippines' biggest warship, the BRP Gergorio del Pilar, is reported to be on a tense standoff with two Chinese naval ships in the Scarborough Shoal, around 124 nautical miles off the coast of Subic Bay in Zambales, Northern Philippines.