THREE of five underwater drones recovered in various parts of the country in the past years were most likely deployed by China to gather information, the Navy said yesterday.
“There is a 55 to 80 percent likelihood that these were deployed by the Chinese Communist Party,” Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad, Navy spokesman for the West Philippine Sea, told a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo.
“Why 55 to 80 percent (likely deployed by China) is because of the components inside… We are not categorically stating where they came from (China), but there is a likelihood, a 55 to 80 percent likelihood per the report,” said Trinidad, citing initial investigation results.
Trinidad was referring to the drones found by fishermen off Ilocos Norte in July 2022, in Cagayan in August 2024, and in Misamis Oriental in October 2024.
The Navy has yet to release findings on the two other underwater drones — one recovered in Zambales in September 2022 and in Masbate in December last year.
Trinidad said the three drones have the capability to receive, process, store, and transmit data through satellite communications to a station on land, to a mothership, or to other drones.
Trinidad said the drones had transceivers made by HWA Create, a Beijing-based company that focuses on defense, civil, government and industrial solutions.
He said a SIM card was also found in one of the drones.
“Based on the technical study or the forensics of the SIM card, the last contact that it had was in mainland China. That’s the only information that the SIM card has,” he said.
Trinidad said one of the drones had a battery with the marking “China Electronics Technology Corps.”
‘INFORMATION IS KEY’
He said the drones gathered data including depth of water, salinity, temperature, and propagation of sound.
“All of these have applications across different fields, academic research, commercial purposes, and also military use … All of these are used across different fields, to include underwater warfare,” said Trinidad.
“In today’s generation of warfare, information is key. He who holds information will have an advantage. Any potential adversary who would like to harm our country would need to know the information, not only on land, on air, but more importantly, since we are an archipelago, underwater information. These drones give them that information,” he said.
He said underwater drones can be launched by aircraft, surface vessel or submarine. The recovered drones, he said, were “most likely” launched from surface vessel.
VIGILANCE
National Security Council Assistant Director General and spokesman Jonathan Malaya said the findings of the Navy only proves the need for public vigilance.
“The forensic examination on the submersible drones have allowed us to conclusively determine that they are of Chinese origin. They are also in all likelihood deployed by China to map the PH’s underwater terrain,” he said.
Malaya said “this is alarming because of its implications on national security.”
“This only shows that we need to be more vigilant and we need to undertake more maritime patrols in more parts of the country to stop these types of activities,” he added.
‘GAINING RECOGNITION’
Senate majority leader Francis Tolentino said the inclusion of the West Philippine Sea (WPS) on Google Maps is an indication that the area “is slowly but surely gaining recognition” in the international community and reputable global institutions.
Tolentino, principal author of RA 12064 or the Philippine Maritime Zones Law, said that the growing global recognition for WPS “represents a victory for all Filipinos” as it affirms the correctness of the Philippines’ policy to assert its sovereign rights “in line with international law and multilateralism.”
Tolentino expressed hope Google Maps will next integrate “Talampas ng Pilipinas” which he said still appears as “Benham Rise” on the app.
“The world is taking notice because of our unity and collective efforts as a people. And this is despite the aggressive actions of China to drive away Philippine government ships and fishermen from our very own exclusive economic zone,” Tolentino said.
“This may change soon,” Tolentino said, as he noted that the map for the Talampas ng Pilipinas was officially received by the International Seabed Authority on March 27, 2025.
It was also through Tolentino’s law that Benham Rise was officially renamed Talampas ng Pilipinas.
Sen. Joel Villanueva said the inclusion of WPS in Google Maps recognizes the Philippines’ “rightful ownership” of the area within the country’s exclusive economic zone.
He also said the recognition of the West Philippine Sea is a “big win” for the Philippines against Chinese bullying.
He said there is no doubt that the Philippines has sovereign rights over the WPS as what was ruled in 2016 by the Permanent Court of Arbitration.
CHINESE SHIP
Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) deployed an Islander aircraft to challenge a Chinese research vessel off Batanes.
Commodore Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesman for the West Philippine Sea, said the research vessel Zhong Shan Da Xue was some 78.21 nautical miles northeast of Itbayat in Batanes as of 8 a.m. yesterday.
“The crew of the PCG Islander attempted to establish radio communication with the vessel multiple times, but there was no response,” said Tarriela.
“PCG aviators underscored on their radio challenge that the said Chinese vessel lacks the authority to conduct marine scientific research within the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines, emphasizing that its activities constitute a clear violation of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the Philippine Maritime Zones Act,” said Tarriela.
US-PH DEFENSE TIES
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr and a delegation of American lawmakers met on Monday and discussed security-related issues, including the disputed West Philippine Sea, and the need to further enhance the alliance of Philippines and the US.
The US delegation was led by Sen. Pete Ricketts, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asia, the Pacific, and International Cybersecurity Policy; and Rep. Ken Calvert, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee – Defense Subcommittee.
The US congressional delegation paid a courtesy call on Teodoro on Monday at Camp Aguinaldo.
In a statement on Monday night, the Department of National Defense through spokesman Arsenio Andolong said the meeting underscored the “enduring and evolving defense alliance between the Philippines and the United States, anchored on shared democratic values and a mutual commitment to promoting peace, security, and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.”
Andolong said Teodoro expressed the Philippines’ deep appreciation for the US’ “consistent support as a treaty ally, especially amid growing regional challenges.”
“He (Teodoro) affirmed that the DND, under the leadership of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., remains steadfast in pursuing strategic engagements and building a resilient, modern, and comprehensive defense posture to uphold national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he said.
Andolong also said the meeting served as a platform for the two sides to “exchange views on strengthening interoperability through exercises and enhancing command-and-control integration.”
The meeting came amid China’s continuing aggressive behavior in the West Philippine Sea, harassing Philippine government vessels and aircraft and even Filipino fishing boats.
“The DND reiterated the significance of deepening multilateral defense cooperation to strengthen deterrence against illegal, coercive, and aggressive actions in the West Philippine Sea/South China Sea, and to uphold a rules-based international order,” said Andolong.
Andolong also said Teodoro emphasized during the meeting that the Philippines “will continue to pursue peaceful and lawful means to safeguard its sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction in accordance with international law.”
Andolong said the meeting concluded “with a mutual commitment to further strengthen the PH-US alliance and expand cooperation across all domains to meet evolving security challenges.” – With Raymond Africa
