The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Thursday dismissed concerns of new construction at Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal), saying recently observed structures are not new developments but debris present for over a decade.

Commodore Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, said during a forum organized by the Stratbase ADR Institute that satellite imagery indicates the structures have been in place since at least 2010, two years before the 2012 standoff that led to China’s control of the shoal.

“This is not something new,” Tarriela said. “This might just be debris from an earlier plan to construct something there.”

Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Panatag Shoal, lies just 124 nautical miles west of Zambales, well within the Philippines’ 200-nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

The PCG’s latest maritime domain awareness (MDA) flight observed two significant, recent developments inside the shoal: the installation of a second floating buoy by Chinese maritime forces in the northern part of the lagoon, and the removal of a floating barrier previously placed across the shoal’s entrance.

Tarriela asserted that the installation of both buoys is illegal, as China does not have the legal authority to make such changes within the shoal.

“They only put those floating barriers when there is a high number of Filipino fishermen and Philippine government vessels in the area,” Tarriela said, suggesting the removal of the barrier now reflects a diminishing presence of Filipino fishers.

He did not confirm whether the Philippines plans to remove the buoys, citing operational confidentiality.

Tarriela also reported continued harassment of Filipino fishermen and Philippine vessels by the China Coast Guard and Chinese maritime militia near Pag-asa Island and Scarborough Shoal.

He lamented recent incidents that included water cannon attacks and aggressive maneuvers against Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessels.

During a routine MDA flight early Wednesday, the PCG aircraft was subjected to aggressive actions by Chinese forces, including a low-altitude pass by a Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy helicopter and harassment by a Shenyang J-16 fighter jet.

The PCG stated the maneuvers posed a direct threat to the safety of the crew.

Despite the challenges, Tarriela assured that the PCG and BFAR would continue to provide support and patrol escorts to local fishers.

“The PCG is resolute in ensuring that our territory, sovereignty, and sovereign rights are properly protected so that our fishermen can safely fish in our own maritime jurisdiction,” the PCG said in a statement.