PCG urges diplomatic protest vs China over WPS marine research activity

The Philippine government is exploring the possibility of filing a second arbitration case against China amid Beijing's continuous activities within the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), a maritime law expert said.

In Dano Tingcungco’s report in “24 Oras” on Monday, Philippine authorities sighted a People’s Liberation Army Navy warship, a research vessel, and other service boats of China during a marine domain awareness flight over Bajo de Masinloc in the West Philippine Sea.

“We also saw the service boat towing the floating barrier. Ibig sabihin they are placing the floating barrier that they are always placing at the entrance to prevent the Filipino fishermen from entering,” said Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson for the WPS Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela.

The PCG also monitored a yellow buoy that was first seen in the sea in October 2025. Meanwhile, a black buoy, an antenna-like structure, and a Chinese Coast Guard vessel were also monitored 25 nautical miles from San Felipe, Zambales.

“The floating moveable platform is being utilized by the Chinese research in conducting an illegal marine scientific research inside the Bajo de Masinloc. As to the real intent of the Chinese government, we still don’t know. We have to go back in 1995, ang sabi nila, when they took over the Panganiban Reef, it’s an ordinary fisherman's shelter. Right now, fast forward, it’s now one of the biggest military bases of the Chinese government,” said Tarriela.

The Chinese Embassy earlier confirmed that Beijing is conducting marine research at Bajo de Masinloc, noting that it’s part of their sovereign rights.

For its part, the PCG said a diplomatic protest must be filed against China.

“It’s always been concerning - the presence of the Chinese maritime forces. China doing an illegal MSR without the authority of the Philippine government means that they are violating our sovereignty and sovereign rights,” said Tarriela.

“As what the DFA said, we really need to file a diplomatic protest,” he added.

Meanwhile, maritime law expert Jay Batongbacal said the Philippine government is mulling filing its second arbitration case against China.

“Admittedly, dahil ang issue dito ay sovereignty, medyo malaki ‘yung parang obstacle sa ngayon. Hindi basta-bastang nadadala sa korte ‘yung mga isyu ng territorial sovereignty. Pero pinag-aaralan din po natin, ng mga ahensya kung ano pa ang iba pang paraan para pwede sila madala sa isang tribunal,” he said.

(Admittedly, since the issue here is sovereignty, the obstacle is quite significant right now. Issues of territorial sovereignty cannot just easily be brought to court. However, our agencies are studying other potential ways to bring them before a tribunal.)

Former solicitor general Francis Jardeleza, on the other hand, believes that the Philippines has a high chance of winning if ever it filed another arbitration case.

Jardeleza, who was part of the team that brought the Philippines' arbitration case against China before the Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2013, said that the strength of the country’s possible new case would come from its 2016 victory.

He said that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. should push for the filing of the case.

“Ang kaigihan, ang strength, o ang lakas ng kaso natin ay magmula doon sa una nating ipinanalo. So mali po ‘yung haka-haka na baka matalo pa tayo. Paaano ka matatalo eh nanalo na tayo sa unang kaso,” said Jardaleza.

(The strength of our case would come from our first victory. So the speculation that we might lose is wrong. How can you lose when we already won the first case?)

“Subalit ang kulang lang ang pagdulog ng kaso. Ngayon, bakit ba ayaw ng administrasyon na mag-file ng kaso? Kaso lang ‘yun eh,” he added.

(But the only thing missing is the filing of the case. Now why does the administration not want to file a case? It's just a case.)

GMA News has reached to Malacañang for comment on the issue. —Vince Angelo Ferreras/RF, GMA News