The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) on Wednesday confirmed that the Chinese floating platform previously monitored in the lagoon of Bajo de Masinloc has been removed.
The task force said a Maritime Domain Awareness patrol conducted on the morning of 17 June verified that the floating platform could no longer be sighted.
The Philippine government had earlier lodged a formal diplomatic protest following the discovery of the structure.
“While we take note of the removal, we reiterate our principled and unyielding position: Bajo de Masinloc is and will always be an integral part of Philippine territory,” the NTF-WPS said in a statement.
The task force stressed that the Philippines has “indivisible, incontrovertible, and longstanding sovereignty” over Bajo de Masinloc, exercised through continuous and uninterrupted jurisdiction supported by detailed surveys, official government correspondence, cartographic records, and consistent acts of administration.
It added that only the Philippines has the right to construct structures and conduct activities, including marine scientific research, within Bajo de Masinloc and its territorial waters.
The NTF-WPS said the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine Coast Guard, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, and other relevant agencies will continue to conduct regular maritime patrols, maritime domain awareness operations, and lawful presence activities in and around the shoal.
“We demand that all foreign entities abide by international law and cease actions that infringe upon Philippine sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction,” the task force said.
It added that the Philippines remains fully committed to protecting its territorial integrity, upholding the rules-based international order, and defending its legitimate entitlements.