President Duterte might raise the Recto Bank issue at the coming summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Thailand as part of talks on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, a ranking foreign affairs official said yesterday.

Contrary to the previous remarks of Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Malacañang said Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jianhua will not be summoned over the incident in Recto Bank.

Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Junever Mahilum-West said the South China Sea will be on the ASEAN Summit's agenda.

Beijing reiterated that the collision between the two boats near Recto Bank was "accidental."

After more than a week of silence on the issue, President Duterte downplayed the collision as a "little maritime accident."