MANILA: A lawmaker has called on the government to consider Surigao del Norte as a strategic location for a new naval facility under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with the United States. This comes after the discovery of a Chinese underwater drone near San Pascual town, Masbate province, which has raised concerns about foreign intelligence activities in Philippine waters.

According to Philippines News Agency, Surigao del Norte Representative Robert Ace Barbers emphasized the importance of establishing an EDCA naval site in the province to safeguard against potential foreign intrusions and resource exploitation. He specifically pointed to the region's deuterium deposits, which are of strategic interest due to their applications in energy and defense sectors.

Barbers expressed concern that foreign entities might be conducting intelligence operations to target these valuable resources. His remarks were made in the wake of local fishermen recovering a Chinese underwater drone. The device, marked HY-119, is reportedly capable of navigation and communication functions, enabling data and voice transmission between underwater vessels, surface units, and satellites.

Barbers also referenced ongoing plans by the Department of National Defense to set up an EDCA site within the Phividec Industrial Authority business complex in Misamis Oriental province. While acknowledging the rationale behind using the facility, Barbers cautioned against mixing business and military operations. The Phividec estate is a significant economic zone, housing around 200 business entities across 3,000 hectares.

Reports indicate that the proposed EDCA site at Phividec is intended to complement the nearby Lumbia airbase in Cagayan de Oro City, which serves both military and civil defense roles. Donato Bernedo, the Phividec Administrator, has expressed support for enhancing national defense but stressed the need to balance military developments with the interests of existing businesses in the estate.