Manila: The Philippine Navy has firmly denied reports suggesting that China conducted military exercises near Bajo de Masinloc in the West Philippine Sea. Navy spokesperson for the WPS, Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, clarified that what was observed was merely a "dispersed presence" of the China Coast Guard, Navy, and Air Force, rather than any coordinated military maneuvers.

According to Philippines News Agency, Trinidad explained that a military exercise involves synchronized operations by different forces. He emphasized that the activities observed were not exercises but rather the presence of Chinese maritime and aerial units. He stated that these reports are part of Beijing's "false narrative and malign influence" intended to project control over the disputed area.

Trinidad reiterated that Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal or Panatag Shoal, remains under Philippine jurisdiction. He highlighted that the area is part of the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and possesses a territorial sea of its own. This assertion counters claims that Chinese naval vessels and military aircraft conducted drills to assert dominance over the strategic waterway.

Located 124 nautical miles off Masinloc, Zambales, Bajo de Masinloc is within the Philippines' 200-nautical-mile EEZ as defined by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Trinidad assured the public that Philippine naval patrols in the West Philippine Sea will persist despite the financial pressures of rising oil prices due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. He emphasized the unwavering stance that there is no "price for sovereignty."