Dennis Gasgonia

Article (news)

Bianca Dava

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA - Retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio on Thursday warned against China possibly putting up a monitoring station in Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal, which fits Beijing’s long-observed pattern of creeping expansion in the West Philippine Sea. </p><p>Carpio cited the 1987 incident in Fiery Cross Reef, where China erected a radar weather station, which later evolved into a military installation.</p><p>“Fiery Cross Reef is just like Scarborough; it’s just a small rock above water at high tide. Nobody complained because it was a very harmless radar weather station to help UNESCO in its global oceanic survey. But there was a foothold—China was able to man it,” Carpio told reporters on the sidelines of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Leadership Summit in Quezon City. </p><p>“Later on, it became an air and naval base, a 3-kilometer runway,” he added.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/25/30-chinese-coast-guard-naval-ships-monitored-in-west-ph-sea-afp-1512"><strong>30 Chinese coast guard, naval ships monitored in West PH Sea: AFP  </strong></a></div><p>He noted that the same pattern was observed in Mischief Reef, where China said they would only build a fisherman’s shelter. </p><p>“But now, that has been converted into the biggest air and naval base of China in the South China Sea,” he said.</p><p>Carpio warned that Bajo de Masinloc is being subjected to the same strategy.</p><p>In September, China announced plans to put up a “national nature reserve” at Scarborough Shoal, which it calls Huangyan Dao.</p><p>“The same playbook is being used in Scarborough Shoal. China is saying, ‘We are putting up a nature reserve.’ Now, to operate a nature reserve, you must monitor it and it can be manned,” Carpio said.</p><p>“They have a playbook. We’ve seen this before and we must be wiser this time. Let’s prepare for it. How? Let’s expose them. This is totally false that Panacot is not Scarborough Shoal. It is. It’s the same shoal. You can see all the maps, historical maps, documents and everything. So, we gave to counter disinformation,” he emphasized. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/11/19/bad-weather-linked-to-decrease-in-chinese-presence-in-bajo-de-masinloc-pcg-1611"><strong>Bad weather linked to decrease in Chinese presence in Bajo de Masinloc — PCG</strong></a></div><p>Bajo de Masinloc, located 124 nautical miles west of mainland Zambales, is well within the country’s 200-nautical mile exclusive economic (EEZ). On the other hand, it is 472 nautical miles from Hainan Province, China’s nearest land mass.</p><p>The shoal, however, has been under Beijing’s control since 2012. </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>CARPIO: LET’S HAVE MORE BRAHMOS MISSILES</strong></div><p>Aside from responding through legal means, Carpio said the Philippines must also prepare militarily—particularly through additional BrahMos missiles.</p><p>“I leave it to the military. But, of course, my suggestion is let’s have more BrahMos missiles because they are mobile. When you can destroy your enemy at any time and your enemy cannot destroy you at any time, you control your enemy,” Carpio explained. “They [BrahMos missiles] can hide behind mountains. Scarborough, it’s fixed. You just input the coordinates, the missiles will go there, pikit-mata. So, we control them if we have the BrahMos missiles.” </p><p>The BrahMos cruise missile has a range of 290 kilometers to 400 kilometers, and a top speed of about Mach 2.8. It can be launched from a ship, aircraft, submarine or land.</p><p>The first batch of BrahMos missiles arrived in the country in April 2024. The second delivery was made a year later. </p><p>The Philippines, which signed the agreement with India in 2022, will receive a total of three BrahMos missile batteries worth P18.9 billion.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>‘CONTINGENCY PLANS IN PLACE’ </strong></div><p>The Philippine Navy reaffirmed its readiness to respond to any escalation in the West Philippine Sea.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/14/palace-says-ph-will-continue-defend-sovereign-rights-in-wps-1704"><strong>Palace says PH will continue defend sovereign rights in WPS</strong></a></div><p>“The government has been very clear that all our actions will be to ensure that the integrity of the national territory will remain,” Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Roy Vincen Trinidad said in a chance interview. </p><p>“In the event that there would be actions from the other side that are deemed escalatory, we have the appropriate contingency plans in place to ensure that not one square inch of our territory will be lost,” he stressed.</p><p>Trinidad also said that the AFP continues to evaluate weapon systems as part of its ongoing modernization.</p><p>“Part of the modernization plans of the AFP includes looking at other missile systems or rather, more missile systems. Details of that is at the Department of National Defense,” the official noted.</p>

<p>Retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio on Thursday warned against China possibly putting up a monitoring station in Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal, which fits Beijing’s long-observed pattern of creeping expansion in the West Philippine Sea.</p>

Retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio on Thursday warned against China possibly putting up a monitoring station in Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal, which fits Beijing’s long-observed pattern of creeping expansion in the West Philippine Sea.

Carpio warns vs China possibly putting up monitoring station in Scarborough

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Traffic

Manila

Horoscope

Nation

Carpio warns vs China possibly putting up monitoring station in Scarborough

Bianca Dava,

ABS-CBN News

Published Nov 27, 2025 04:20 PM PHT

Read More:

Armed Forces of the Philippines

Associate Justice Antonio Carpio

Bajo de Masinloc

Scarborough Shoal

nature reserve

monitoring station

West Philippine Sea

China

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.