An aerial view taken on March 9, 2023 shows Thitu Island in the South China Sea. - As a Philippine Coast Guard plane carrying journalists flew over the Spratly Islands in the hotly disputed South China Sea, a Chinese voice issued a stern command over the radio: "Leave immediately." (Photo by JAM STA ROSA / AFP) (Photo by JAM STA ROSA/AFP via Getty Images)
MANILA, Philippines – Sinabi ng Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) na ang datos na nakukuha mula sa Chinese research activities sa Bajo de Masinloc o Scarborough Shoal ay maaaring may gamit na militar, environmental, o economic.
Ayon kay AFP Public Affairs Office chief Col. Xerxes Trinidad, ang marine scientific research ay maaaring magbigay ng impormasyon na puwedeng gamitin para sa iba’t ibang layunin.
“Any marine scientific research conducted could provide information for one particular nation, so all these can be used either for economic, environmental, and even military purposes,” ani Trinidad.
Patuloy na binabantayan ng mga awtoridad ang presensya ng Chinese research vessels at isang movable floating platform sa lugar, na unang nakita noong Mayo 25 at paulit-ulit na inililipat sa loob at labas ng shoal.
Sa isang maritime domain awareness flight, nakita ang isang Chinese research vessel na hinihila ang naturang platform bago muling ipasok sa shoal.
Ayon sa Philippine Navy, masyado pang maaga para sabihing may kaugnayan ito sa reclamation o pagtatayo ng istruktura.
“It’s very hard to speculate already as of now… because we are, of course, studying it properly, investigating it…” ayon kay Navy spokesperson Capt. Marissa Arlene Martinez.
Dagdag pa niya, “It would be speculative if we would say already that it is for the construction of a certain pier.”
Binigyang-diin ni Trinidad ang kahalagahan ng dokumentasyon sa West Philippine Sea, na inihalintulad niya sa karanasan sa Mischief Reef noong 1990s kung saan nagsimula sa simpleng istruktura ngunit nauwi sa military base.
Patuloy na mino-monitor ng Philippine Coast Guard, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, at AFP ang mga aktibidad sa Bajo de Masinloc bilang bahagi ng whole-of-government approach sa West Philippine Sea. RNT/MND
