Camille Naredo

Article (news)

Karen De Guzman

Jeff Caparas

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1760432835437G3NSb6WaIAEzMLb.jfif" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="A photo handout from the Philippine Coast Guard highlights an &quot;unusual floating buoy&quot; in Bajo de Masinloc. Handout/PCG"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">A photo handout from the Philippine Coast Guard highlights an &quot;unusual floating buoy&quot; in Bajo de Masinloc. <em>Handout/PCG</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA -- The Philippine Navy is investigating suspected underwater structures recently spotted in Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal, located within the country’s exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea.</p><p>Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, spokesperson for West Philippine Sea affairs, said the structures were observed during a routine Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) operation conducted by the Northern Luzon Command on Monday.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/13/pcg-conducts-maritime-domain-awareness-flight-over-bajo-de-masinloc-1920">READ: PCG conducts maritime domain awareness flight over Bajo de Masinloc</a></div><p>“We have received reports of certain structures underwater which we are verifying,” Trinidad said in a press briefing.</p><p>Initial reports suggest the presence of several underwater installations in different parts of the reef.</p><p>Authorities have yet to confirm whether these are newly built structures or remnants of older installations.</p><p>“In 1997, there was an attempt to erect a steel structure by the Chinese Communist Party which was blown up by our Philippine Navy forces. Prior to that, there were also reports of building blocks that were reported in Bajo de Masinloc,” Trinidad said.</p><p>“These were blocks that were installed previous to the old de-escalation in Bajo de Masinloc during the time of the present US bases when Bajo de Masinloc was still used as a bombing range by the US Air Force, the US Navy, and by the Philippine Air Force,” he added.</p><p>While it is possible the observed structures are remnants of previous activities, Trinidad said the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is not ruling out the possibility that new materials have been recently deployed.</p><p>As a precautionary measure, an investigation is now underway to determine the nature and origin of the installations.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/14/47-diplomatic-protests-filed-vs-china-in-2025-dfa-1550">READ: 47 diplomatic protests filed vs China in 2025 — DFA</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>UNUSUAL FLOATING BUOY</strong></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1760433056381G3NSZf7aEAI-42U.jfif" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="A photo handout from the Philippine Coast Guard highlights an &quot;unusual floating buoy&quot; in Bajo de Masinloc. Handout/PCG"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">A photo handout from the Philippine Coast Guard highlights an &quot;unusual floating buoy&quot; in Bajo de Masinloc. <em>Handout/PCG</em></span></span></span></div><p>The Philippine Coast Guard also reported that they spotted, for the first time, a yellow floating buoy positioned at the center of Bajo de Masinloc.</p><p>“For the first time, we also monitored this yellow floating buoy at the center of Bajo de Masinloc. For so many times that we have flown here, we’ve seen floating barriers at the entrance, but not this kind of floating buoy in the middle,” PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, Commodore Jay Tarriela said.</p><p>He added that aside from the buoy, the team also spotted what appeared to be a man-made structure on the southeastern part of the shoal.</p><p>“We cannot really tell whether these are steel, concrete, or wooden structures. We cannot confirm whether these are just debris, wooden remnants, or metal parts from previous activities. But this is the first time we’ve seen something like this in that area,” he explained.</p><p>Tarriela emphasized that the discovery is significant since the PCG has been regularly monitoring the area for years, and such objects have not been detected before.</p><p>The Coast Guard is currently conducting further verification to determine the nature and possible origin of the buoy and the unidentified structure.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>HARASSMENT INCIDENT IN SANDY CAY CONDEMNED</strong></div><p>Meanwhile, the AFP has strongly condemned another incident of harassment involving Chinese vessels.</p><p>On Sunday, Chinese Coast Guard and maritime militia ships chased and used water cannons against BFAR vessels conducting a maritime patrol near Sandy Cay.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/12/china-vessel-deliberately-rammed-philippine-ship-pcg-1125">READ: China vessel &#x27;deliberately rammed&#x27; PH ship providing cover for fishermen -- PCG</a></div><p>One CCG vessel rammed a BFAR boat, causing minor damage to the Philippine vessel.</p><p>“Water cannons are used by ships out at sea to help fight fires, not to endanger lives. This is an unacceptable maritime practice by the PLA Navy, by the Chinese Coast Guard, of using the water cannon to intimidate other claimant countries in the South China Sea.”</p><p>Amid heightened tensions, the AFP reiterated its current strategy: to resist both physical encroachment and disinformation campaigns, while maintaining coordination with other key agencies.</p><p>“The action of the AFP right now is to push back, to address all actions and all narratives. For false narratives, we address them outrightly. For physical encroachment into our maritime domain, we have our patrol plans by sea and by air,” Trinidad said.</p><p>He emphasized that the AFP continues to work closely with the Philippine Coast Guard and BFAR, while overall efforts are coordinated at the national level through the National Maritime Council (NMC) and the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS).</p>

<p>The Philippine Navy is investigating suspected underwater structures recently spotted in Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal, located within the country’s exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea.</p>

The Philippine Navy is investigating suspected underwater structures recently spotted in Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal, located within the country’s exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea.

PH Navy probing suspected underwater structures in Bajo de Masinloc

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PH Navy probing suspected underwater structures in Bajo de Masinloc

Karen De Guzman,

Jeff Caparas,

ABS-CBN News

Published Oct 14, 2025 05:12 PM PHT

|

Updated Oct 14, 2025 05:13 PM PHT

Read More:

AFP

Philippine Navy

Bajo de Masinloc

Scarborough Shoal

PCG

Philippine Coast Guard

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