PCG discovers second buoy at Bajo de Masinloc amid Chinese interference

Metro Manila, Philippines - The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said it has discovered a second yellow buoy installed at the northern tip of Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal) during a routine maritime patrol flight, as tensions in the West Philippine Sea continue to escalate.

The sighting follows the discovery of an initial buoy placed near the center of the shoal a day earlier, the PCG said in a statement. The new buoy was detected during a Maritime Domain Awareness flight conducted on Thursday, Oct. 16.

According to the PCG, its team also secured precise coordinates of a reported structure observed during earlier operations. A review of historical satellite imagery using those coordinates showed that the debris has been present for at least two years, indicating it was not part of recent construction activity.

“This verification underscores that the debris is longstanding and not indicative of recent construction,” the PCG said on Wednesday.

During the same patrol, the PCG reported being subjected to “aggressive interference” from forces of the People’s Republic of China.

The agency said a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy helicopter conducted a low-altitude pass directly beneath the PCG aircraft, followed shortly by a PLA Air Force Shenyang J-16 fighter jet that “harassed and endangered” the flight’s path.

The PCG condemned the incident, calling it a “clear and unacceptable risk” to the safety of its personnel and journalists onboard the mission.

“In the face of such aggressive actions, the PCG remains steadfast in its commitment to uphold international law and safeguard maritime jurisdiction in the West Philippine Sea,” the statement added.