Camille Naredo

This photo taken on September 22, 2023 shows Chinese coast guard personnel aboard their rigid hull inflatable boat beside a floating barrier as they guard a passage to the Chinese-controlled Scarborough Shoal in disputed waters of the South China Sea. Ted Aljibe, AFP/File

This photo taken on September 22, 2023 shows Chinese coast guard personnel aboard their rigid hull inflatable boat beside a floating barrier as they guard a passage to the Chinese-controlled Scarborough Shoal in disputed waters of the South China Sea. - China, which claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, snatched control of Scarborough Shoal from the Philippines in 2012. Since then, it has deployed coast guard and other vessels to block or restrict access to the fishing ground that has been tapped by generations of Filipinos. (Photo by Ted ALJIBE / AFP)

Article (news)

West PH Sea-Bajo De Masinloc

Jessie Cruzat

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/178022656086620230922-bajo-de-masinloc-ccg-AFP.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="This photo taken on September 22, 2023 shows Chinese coast guard personnel aboard their rigid hull inflatable boat beside a floating barrier as they guard a passage to the Chinese-controlled Scarborough Shoal in disputed waters of the South China Sea. Ted Aljibe, AFP/File" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">This photo taken on September 22, 2023 shows Chinese coast guard personnel aboard their rigid hull inflatable boat beside a floating barrier as they guard a passage to the Chinese-controlled Scarborough Shoal in disputed waters of the South China Sea. <em>Ted Aljibe, AFP/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA -- International maritime security expert (Ret.) Col. Ray Powell has warned that reports of possible new structures being built by China in Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal could have serious implications for the Philippines if confirmed.</p><p>The statement came after Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. disclosed on Saturday that the government had received &quot;raw information&quot; indicating possible new developments in the disputed maritime feature.</p><p>&quot;May raw information. Actually, sinasabi ko, ang Bajo de Masinloc ay dynamic ang area, so bagama&#x27;t maliliit pa ang mga nangyayari, binabantayan na ito,&quot; Teodoro said.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/30/ph-checking-reports-of-new-structures-at-bajo-de-masinloc-teodoro-1221">READ: PH checking reports of new structures at Bajo de Masinloc — Teodoro</a></div><p>Bajo de Masinloc, located about 124 nautical miles west of mainland Zambales, lies within the Philippines&#x27; 200-nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). </p><p>The area has long been monitored due to the continued presence of Chinese vessels.</p><p>In 2023, China Coast Guard ships were reported to have installed floating barriers in the area, restricting Filipino fishermen&#x27;s access even to waters surrounding the shoal.</p><p>&quot;I&#x27;m certainly interested in looking but so far I&#x27;ve not been able to see anything but you know certainly if there were evidence of China building at Scarborough Shoal that would be a very serious problem for the Philippines, for the United States this this would certainly drive a whole new discussion about what China is doing,&quot; Powell said.</p><p>Powell also emphasized the importance of continuously asserting the Philippines&#x27; rights and jurisdiction in the West Philippine Sea, warning against repeating what happened at Mischief Reef, locally known as Panganiban Reef.</p><p>Located about 130 nautical miles west of mainland Palawan, Mischief Reef was initially occupied by China through the construction of small structures in 1995. </p><p>It has since been transformed into an artificial island housing one of Beijing&#x27;s military bases.</p><p>According to Powell, failing to challenge China&#x27;s actions could be interpreted as acceptance of its claims.</p><p>&quot;If you stop contesting it, China will take that as an acquiescence… You have to now continuously challenge that exclusion zone, because if you don&#x27;t, then it&#x27;s a tacit admission that you accept their sovereignty over it.&quot; </p><p>The maritime security expert also viewed the recent Philippines-United States Bilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity as a strong signal that Manila remains firm in defending its interests in the West Philippine Sea.</p><p>The joint activity, conducted from May 26 to May 30, included for the first time the participation of the United States Coast Guard Cutter Midgett, which patrolled waters near Bajo de Masinloc.</p><p>For Powell, the deployment sends a clear message to China that the Philippines and its allies are adapting their response to Beijing&#x27;s increasingly aggressive activities.</p><p>&quot;China doesn&#x27;t want to trigger the wartime part of that Mutual Defense Treaty it wants to get what it wants to get short of that and so the the the U.S. Philippines response is beginning to adapt and you&#x27;re seeing of course the Philippines has been very aggressively going out and finding new partners,&quot; Powell added. </p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/31/afp-china-s-claim-of-holding-military-drills-near-bajo-de-masinloc-unfounded-1842">READ: China&#x27;s claim of holding military drills near Bajo de Masinloc unfounded -- AFP</a></div><p>Meanwhile, the Philippines and the United States reaffirmed their defense partnership during a bilateral meeting between Teodoro and U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on the sidelines of the <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/30/teodoro-meets-us-hegseth-at-shangri-la-dialogue-in-singapore-1619">Shangri-La Dialogue</a> in Singapore.</p><p>During the meeting, Teodoro reiterated the Philippines&#x27; support for strengthening partnerships across the Indo-Pacific. </p><p>He also underscored the significance of the country&#x27;s victory in the landmark 2016 arbitral ruling on the West Philippine Sea.</p><p>&quot;This landmark ruling affirmed the fundamental principle that maritime entitlements are derived not from &#x27;historic rights&#x27; but from international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea,&quot; Teodoro said on his speech. </p><p>&quot;Sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states which must be based on international law and UNCLOS for maritime archipelagic state.&quot;</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/5/31/ph-us-defense-chiefs-reiterate-commitment-to-military-alliance-1002">READ: PH, US defense chiefs reiterate commitment to military alliance</a></div><p>For his part, Hegseth announced that Washington would provide a decommissioned U.S. Coast Guard cutter to the Philippine Coast Guard to help strengthen the country&#x27;s capability to protect and defend its interests in the region.</p><p>&quot;When we look across the region today, there is rightful alarm regarding China&#x27;s historic military buildup and the expansion of its military activities in the region and beyond,&quot; Hegseth said.</p><p>&quot;We do not approach this challenge with needless confrontation, but with a posture of measured and deliberate strength. Our focus is strong, quiet, and clear.&quot;</p><p>Teodoro also held separate meetings with Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defense Richard Marles and Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="960" height="540" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YfKbtv4XpJ0?&amp;pp=0gcJCR4LAYcqIYzv&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong></div>

<p>International maritime security expert (Ret.) Col. Ray Powell has warned that reports of possible new structures being built by China in Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal could have serious implications for the Philippines if confirmed.</p>

International maritime security expert (Ret.) Col. Ray Powell has warned that reports of possible new structures being built by China in Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal could have serious implications for the Philippines if confirmed.

Expert warns of serious implications if new structures emerge in Bajo de Masinloc

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Expert warns of serious implications if new structures emerge in Bajo de Masinloc

Jessie Cruzat,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 31, 2026 07:24 PM PHT

Read More:

Bajo de Masinloc

China

Philippines

Gilberto Teodoro Jr

Exclusive Economic Zone

Ray Powell

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