MANILA — The Philippine Navy has rejected circulating claims that Chinese forces recently staged military drills near Bajo de Masinloc in the West Philippine Sea.
Speaking on Tuesday, Navy spokesperson for the WPS Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said surveillance operations did not indicate any coordinated training activity by Chinese forces.
According to Trinidad, what was observed was merely a dispersed presence of Chinese assets, including vessels from the China Coast Guard and ships and aircraft linked to the People’s Liberation Army.
He noted that genuine military exercises involve synchronized operations among participating units. In contrast, the Chinese vessels and aircraft detected in the area appeared to be operating independently rather than performing organized maneuvers.
Trinidad added that the narrative about supposed drills may be part of China’s efforts to create the impression that it exercises authority over the disputed shoal.
The Navy official reiterated that Bajo de Masinloc remains under the Philippines’ maritime jurisdiction, emphasizing that the shoal lies within the country’s exclusive economic zone.
Located about 124 nautical miles from the coast of Zambales, the shoal—also called Scarborough or Panatag Shoal—falls within the Philippines’ 200-nautical-mile EEZ under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Trinidad also assured that Philippine naval operations in the West Philippine Sea will continue despite the financial pressures caused by rising global fuel prices linked to ongoing tensions in the Middle East.
He emphasized that the protection of the country’s sovereignty remains a top priority for the armed forces.
ia/xf
