PH Navy ship recovers suspected Chinese rocket debris off Palawan

The Western Naval Command has successfully recovered suspected debris from a Chinese rocket off the waters of Bataraza, Palawan after conducting maritime patrols in the West Philippine Sea.

The BRP Lolinato To-Ong (PG-902) had just finished its patrol and drug recovery operations when its crew saw metallic debris suspected to be from a Chinese rocket at around 12.17 nautical miles southeast of Rio Tuba in Bataraza, Palawan.

The debris was painted white with a red rectangle in the middle. The red portion featured a big yellow star and four smaller stars on its right side, resembling China’s flag.

The crew of BRP Lolinato To-Ong immediately retrieved the debris and transported it to Puerto Princesa City for proper documentation, assessment, and disposition in coordination with concerned authorities.

In its statement on Monday, the Western Naval Command said the recovery of the debris “underscores the importance of continued maritime surveillance in protecting Philippine waters and ensuring the safety of local communities potentially affected by foreign rocket remnants.”

“Western Naval Command remains steadfast in performing its maritime security and sovereignty missions to safeguard the country’s territorial integrity and uphold Philippine sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea,” it added. — JMA, GMA Integrated News