Manila: A ranking Philippine Navy (PN) official on Tuesday disputed Chinese claims that it conducted coordinated air and maritime patrols as Filipino and Japanese military units were holding their second bilateral maritime cooperative activity (MCA) in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) last week. "The PN did not monitor any coordinated air and maritime patrols in our maritime zones conducted by the Southern Theater Command,' stated PN spokesperson for WPS, Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, during a media briefing at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.

According to Philippines News Agency, Trinidad emphasized that the only activities observed were the continued illegal presence of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy and the China Coast Guard (CCG) in specific locations, including Bajo de Masinloc, Pag-asa Island, Sabina Shoal, and Ayungin Shoal. He addressed what he described as attempts of "misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation" by China to support its claims over the Philippines' maritime domain.

Trinidad noted that a PLAN warship was seen tailing the naval formation during the Philippines-Japan bilateral MCA. This exercise was conducted from the west of Zambales to the northwest of Occidental Mindoro. The Chinese vessel was reported to have launched and recovered drones during this period.

He further reported that on June 15, two PLAN warships and two CCG ships were monitored near Bajo de Masinloc. Additionally, two Chinese Coast Guard ships launched and recovered RHIBs in Ayungin Shoal, and a PLAN warship was observed near Sabina Shoal.

Trinidad expressed that whenever the Philippines and its partner nations hold maritime activities, China often releases false reports claiming to have conducted patrols in the Philippines' maritime domain. He highlighted that these narratives are aimed at gaining domestic support within China and shaping international perspectives in favor of China's claims.

He cautioned against accepting reports that suggest the PLAN or the Southern Theater Command had conducted patrols in the Philippines' maritime domain, stressing the importance of critical evaluation of such claims.