Calayan Island: A drone recovered off Calayan Island last year has been found to contain bathymetric data, which can be utilized in "undersea warfare," a senior official from the Philippine Navy (PN) stated on Tuesday. Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, who serves as the PN spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, revealed that forensic analysis indicates a "deliberate effort" by an unidentified foreign power.

According to Philippines News Agency, Trinidad emphasized that the data collected by the drone has potential applications across multiple fields, including academia, commerce, and the military. During a media briefing, he expressed concerns about a covert attempt to map not only the maritime domain of the Philippines but also its human terrain, political system, and infrastructural framework.

Five submersible drones have been discovered to date in various locations. These include two in Calayan Island within the Babuyan Group of Islands, one in Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte, one in Initao, Misamis Oriental, and one in San Pascual, Masbate in December 2024. The ongoing discovery of these drones highlights a growing concern over the surveillance and data collection activities being conducted in the region.