1997 dismantling of illegal Chinese structures at Scarborough confirmed

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Tuesday confirmed that the Philippine Navy took decisive action in 1997 to demolish a Chinese-erected steel structure in Scarborough Shoal, also known as Bajo de Masinloc.

In a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo, AFP spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea (WPS) Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad highlighted a historic instance of military response to foreign incursions in the country’s territorial waters.

“Yes, in 1997, there was a steel structure erected, a marker that was blown up by our Philippine Navy forces,” Trinidad told reporters.

Trinidad recalled that the Chinese Communist Party attempted to erect a steel structure on Bajo de Masinloc.

Even before that, he added, there were already reports of building blocks or concrete piles in the area.

However, further investigation revealed that some of these may have been remnants from an earlier period, dating back to when the United States still maintained military bases in the Philippines.

“These were blocks that were installed in Bajo de Masinloc during the time of the presence of US bases when Bajo de Masinloc was still used as a bombing range by the US Air Force, the US Navy, and I believe by the Philippine Air Force,” he recalled.

“Nevertheless, we are checking the latest report that these structures were noticed, were spotted. They could be remnants of the old structures that were there on Bajo de Masinloc,” he added.

Earlier, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan hinted at possible reclamation activities by China during a media briefing aboard the BRP Gabriela Silang.

“It’s possible,” Gavan said when asked about the presence of new structures in the WPS.

“There are matters that only the National Maritime Council can address,” he added, declining to provide further details.

Trinidad has since confirmed that the AFP is coordinating with the PCG and the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) to assess the purpose and origin of the reported structures.

“We’re checking everything,” Trinidad said, adding that aerial patrols and maritime domain awareness missions have provided initial data but require further analysis.

When pressed on what specific incident could prompt Philippine Navy intervention today, particularly in relation to China’s recent harassment near Pag-asa Island, Trinidad said any escalatory response would depend on the National Maritime Council and broader government policy.

“That is a topic at the level of the National Maritime Council,” he said. “The AFP will only respond or act upon any policy direction given by the government.”

He added that while the military has contingency plans in place for various scenarios, each potential response is calibrated based on the government’s overall security and diplomatic strategy.

“Yes, part of the contingency plans are different scenarios that would warrant different actions from the AFP,” he explained.

Following the latest water cannon attacks by Chinese coast guard vessels, Trinidad was also asked whether the Philippine government would consider pushing for amendments to the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) with the United States to explicitly include such forms of non-lethal aggression.

“I’d like to refer to the statement of our Commander-in-Chief,” Trinidad said. “The death of any Filipino in the West Philippine Sea would be sufficient grounds for discussions of invoking the Mutual Defense Treaty.”

He then clarified that amending the MDT “remains a policy-level decision involving the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and Department of National Defense (DND).”

“The recommendation would come from higher headquarters, most likely at the Department of Defense level or even the DFA,” he stressed.

Despite public concerns over repeated Chinese provocations, Trinidad emphasized that the military continues to conduct routine but unpublicized operations to assert the Philippines’ presence and monitor activities in the WPS.

“Yes, we are doing many things that are not seen and not made public. This includes our different air surveillance flights, our maritime domain patrols by sea, and our coordination with like-minded countries and our treaty ally,” he said.

He also underscored that the AFP has been actively supporting the Philippine Coast Guard and coordinating with various international partners to maintain maritime domain awareness in the region.

Scarborough Shoal has long been a flashpoint in the Philippines-China maritime dispute.

Beijing has since maintained a presence around the shoal’s lagoon, blocking Filipino ships and fishing boats from entering the area.