By Darryl John Esguerra

ONGOING VERIFICATION. A Chinese Coast Guard ship with hull number 5303 deployed in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) in this undated photo. Malacañang on Thursday (Sept. 17, 2026) said that the Philippine Coast Guard is verifying reports on the presence of two Chinese military hydrographic survey vessels in the West Philippine Sea. (File photo courtesy of PCG)

MANILA – The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is verifying a report on the presence of two Chinese military hydrographic survey vessels in the West Philippine Sea, Malacañang said Thursday.

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the PCG has deployed vessels to monitor the area while verification is ongoing.

“Ongoing ang verification ng report at mayroong mga barko ang PCG na nagbabantay doon sa area (Verification of the report is ongoing, and the PCG has vessels monitoring the area),” Castro said in a Palace briefing.

She said the Palace will release information that can be publicly shared once the PCG completes its verification.

The report concerns the alleged presence of two Chinese military hydrographic survey vessels in the West Philippine Sea on Sept. 11.

Asked whether the reported activity could be deliberate amid renewed tensions over the West Philippine Sea and recent remarks of Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro on Philippine sovereignty and maritime rights, Castro said the government could not speculate on China’s intentions while the report was still being verified.

Republic Act 12065, or the Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act, provides rules governing the passage of foreign vessels through the country’s archipelagic sea lanes, including restrictions on activities not related to continuous and expeditious passage.

Castro said the government would provide additional information on the reported vessels once verification by the PCG is completed.

She added that Teodoro’s remarks are well within his mandate as defense chief and the country’s laws.

“Ang kaniyang ginagawa lamang ay naaayon sa ating karapatan, naaayon sa batas, at isa po siyang opisyal na dapat ipaglaban kung ano lang po ang interes at karapatan ng ating mga kababayan at ng ating bansa sa nasabing maritime rights (What he is doing is in accordance with our rights and the law, and as an official, he should defend the interests and rights of our people and our country with respect to these maritime rights),” Castro said. (PNA)