Blasts heard from China's artificial island near Pag-asa Island

Residents have reported hearing repetitive blasts from one of China’s artificial islands near Pag-asa Island in Kalayaan, Palawan, on Sunday, according to Raffy Tima's report on GMA News' Unang Balita on Tuesday.

The series of explosions started from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m, residents reportedly said. Each set of explosions had a 30-minute interval and lasted for about five to 10 minutes.

Due to the impact of the explosions, residents said they felt the ground shaking.

Based on a spot report of Palawan police, residents believed that the blasts were coming from “artillery guns/weapons on the Subi Reef,” which is near  the artificial islands built by China in the area.

The explosions were heard after the incident involving the Philippines’ Naval Station Emilio Liwanag (NSEL) and Chinese Coast Guard off Pag-asa Island.

According to the Philippine military's Western Command (WESCOM), the NSEL team towed an unidentified floating object in the area that resembles the metal debris from China's Long March 5B rocket earlier recovered in Busuanga.

However, WESCOM said a Chinese coast guard vessel with bow number 5203 blocked their way, “then deployed its Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat” and “forcefully retrieved said floating object by cutting the towing line attached to the NSEL rubber boat.”

The Chinese Embassy in Manila denied that Chinese coast guard blocked the NSEL team and cut the towing line, saying that the Philippine side returned the floating object to the Chinese side on the spot after a “friendly consultation.”

Meanwhile, the UB report said a resident of Barangay Pag-asa was able to film an alleged Chinese coast guard ship that reached the island.

In an interview on Super Radyo dzBB, Kalayaan information officer Ariel Carlos said around 30 to 37 Chinese coast guard ships and militia vessels were spotted circling the island.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has already received a report about the incident and is assessing possible actions.

WESCOM said it is already conducting an investigation into the incident.

The confrontation between the Chinese coast guard and Philippines’ NSEL team as well as the explosions near Pag-asa Island took place days before the scheduled visit of United States Vice President Kamala Harris in Palawan. —Joviland Rita/KBK, GMA Integrated News