The Philippines sent a note verbale to the Chinese Embassy regarding the reported grabbing of a floating debris by the Chinese Coast Guard from a Philippine Navy vessel off Pagasa Island on Sunday.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said Thursday '' we issued a note on that issue to the Embassy of China."

The Chinese Embassy denied that the debris was forcibly taken from the Philippine Navy boat.

Foreign Affairs Enrique Manalo confirmed that the note verbale about the incident was sent to the Chinese embassy.

''We would like to get an official comment from China, especially in response to our note,” Manalo said in an interview with CNN Philippines.

The Philippine military has requested the defense attache of China to provide a copy of their report about the incident in the West Philippine Sea.

"We have requested the defense attache of China to submit also to us on how they see things that happen in that area," Rear Admiral Toribio Adaci Jr said in an interview with reporters after he formally assumed his post as the new chief of the Philippine Navy on Thursday.

Adaci, the 40th Flag Officer in Command of the Philippine Navy, replaced Rear Admiral Caesar Bernard Valencia. He vowed to "put primacy on the rationalization of our organization."

"We will put a premium on our frontline units because they are critical to our mission accomplishments. We will prioritize giving our naval operating forces, our marine brigades, ships and other frontline units with adequate personnel and equipment because they are ones who perform our primary mandate of protecting our seas and littorals. They are also critical in the conduct of non-traditional and civil military operations," he said.

The change of command ceremony that was led by Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Bartolome Bacarro was held at the Philippine Navy headquarters in Manila. Robina Asido/DMS