The multilateral maritime cooperative activity (MMCA) in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), involving the Philippines, Japan, and the United States, was monitored by a Chinese navy ship, authorities said.
Army spokesperson Col. Xerxes Trinidad confirmed that a People’s Liberation Army Navy vessel, Bow Number 174, was spotted near the exercise area. “Yes, we monitored the illegal presence of a PLA Navy with Bow Number 174 in the general vicinity of the exercise area,” Trinidad said.
He added that the Chinese vessel did not interfere with the drills, although it was observed within Philippine waters not far from the participating ships.
Trinidad said the 15th MMCA, held from Monday, 23 February, to Thursday, 26 February 2026, was “completed safely and successfully.” “The exercise proceeded as planned. All participating units maintained professionalism, situational awareness, and adherence to international maritime rules,” he said.
BRP Antonio Luna Commanding Officer Capt. Jennifer Monforte noted that while there were no radio exchanges between the Philippines and China, the presence of the Chinese vessel was illegal. “Yung presence nila is illegal kasi nasa loob sila ng EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone) ng Philippines at sumunod sila hanggang Batanes,” he said.
Monforte added that the exercise, conducted entirely within Philippine waters, should not be interpreted as provocation. “Nasa loob naman tayo ng exclusive economic zone (EEZ) ng Pilipinas at hindi naman maritime domain ng ibang bansa, so hindi ito provocation,” he said.
U.S. Navy Capt. Dave Huljack, Commodore of Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 15, said on the U.S. Navy website that the MMCA demonstrates the operational cooperation between the Philippine Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.
Several exercises took place near the Bashi Channel, which separates the Philippines from Taiwan. Monforte said the 2026 MMCA marked the first time the drills extended to northern Batanes, beyond previous ranges near Pangasinan. “The significance of the exercise is to show how far our operational reach is in the West Philippine Sea area,” he said.
Two Philippine FA-50 aircraft flew with the U.S. P-8 Poseidon and Japan’s P-3 Orion for a training flight near the Bashi Channel on Tuesday, 24 February 2026. The BRP Antonio Luna and the USS Dewey sailed toward northern Luzon, reaching Basco, Batanes, while the Philippine Coast Guard’s BRP Gabriela Silang participated in tactical maneuvers with the other vessels.
Monforte said the four-day MMCA improved interoperability and strategic coordination between the Philippines, U.S., and Japan. “It is successful if we base it on the objective of the exercise, which is enhancement of interoperability.”