AFP checking where ‘Chinese’ buoys found near Scarborough came from

The Armed Forces of the Philippines is set to determine where the buoys with Chinese characters on them that were found near the disputed Scarborough Shoal last week are from.

 

AFP Chief of Staff Lt. General Hernando Iriberri told reporters on Thursday that identifying where the buoys are from is a priority.

 

“Dapat tinitingnan kung ano ba talagang gamit nun. Was it for dredging or was it talagang boom? So, talagang chini-check natin. There have been some reports that it could have been used for dredging but coming from where, 'yun ang hindi pa natin na-establish,” he said.

 

“So we have to check, yun nga, ini-establish muna natin kung anong klase 'yung buoya, kung pang-dredging, boom, or it's just a buoy, saka dapat ma-establish natin kung saan galing,” he added.

 

Iriberri also said the military has not monitored any dredging activities by China in the Scarborough Shoal, which the Philippines calls Panatag Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc.

 

“As of now wala naman kaming nakikita, except meron lang mga ship,” he said.

 

The military chief said the AFP is ready to protect Philippine sovereignty over the disputed area, which Manila calls the West Philippine Sea. — Andrei Medina/JDS, GMA News