THE military yesterday dismissed accusations that the Philippines has been polluting the environment in the West Philippine Sea in the South China Sea.
Chinese media recently posted pictures of thick smoke coming from the BRP Sierra Madre, a rusting Philippine Navy ship grounded at Ayungin Shoal, also known as Second Thomas Shoal. They said Filipino troops stationed at the ship burned waste, posing “a serious threat to the ecological environment of the surrounding waters.”
“It’s part of the deceptive messaging of the Chinese Communist Party,” said Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad, Navy spokesman for the West Philippine Sea.
Trinidad said Filipino troops burned “combustible materials” at BRP Sierra Madre on February 28 as part of a fire drill. However, strong winds caused the fire to spread.
“But they (troops aboard BRP Sierra Madre) were able to put everything in control,” he said.
“The smoke incidentally went beyond what they were intending to exercise. Nevertheless this was put under control. There was no damage to the environment, all the men aboard the ship are safe. The exercise was conducted successfully,” he added.
Trinidad said Navy ships conduct fire drills at least once a month.
“There was no problem. The men of the ship are always prepared to respond to any eventuality to keep everything under control,” he said.
Trinidad said the accusations are part of China’s attack against Philippines on the information domain.
“The battlefield is the cognitive domain or the minds of the Filipino people. (It’s) designed to shape the perception of the Filipinos. This is also called malign influence,” he said.
Trinidad also described as “totally absurd” claims that Palawan is part of China, as he accused China of waging attack against the Philippines on the information domain.
“Such statements about Palawan (being part of China) are baseless. They are bereft of legal references,” he said.
Trinidad made the remarks days after the spread of posts on Chinese social media Rednote that Palawan once belonged to China and the Philippines should return it.
“They are beyond common sense. In short, totally absurd,” Trinidad said.
National Security Adviser Eduardo Año said, “These assertions are outright fabrications intended to distort history, deceive the public and challenge the Philippines’ sovereignty over its lawful and internationally recognized territory.”
Año urged Filipinos to remain vigilant and “rely on verified historical and legal sources rather than propaganda designed to advance geopolitical agenda at the expense of truth.”
Meanwhile, Trinidad said the Navy monitored a total of 19 Chinese vessels two features in the West Philippine Sea for the entire month of February.
He said nine Chinese Coast Guard vessels and two Chinese Navy ships were monitored at Scarborough Shoal, and seven Chinese Coast Guard vessels and one Chinese Navy ship at Ayungin Shoal.
