Philippines urged to act after sea drones linked to China

The Philippines should step up its efforts and reinforce its claim over parts of the South China Sea through legal and diplomatic means, a Senate leader said on Wednesday after authorities reported that the sea drones found in Philippine waters may be of Chinese origin. 

The Philippine Navy on Tuesday said that three of the five sea drones recovered within the country’s waters in the last two years had a “50% to 80%” likelihood of being deployed by China and might have been intended for preparations for underwater warfare.  

Equipped with advanced technology, the suspected Chinese sea drones could measure water depth, temperature, salinity, detect underwater sounds, and transmit the data via satellite communication. 

“What is apparent is that China has been deploying these drones to study our seabed and map out our underwater terrain to gather critical data for scientific, commercial, or military use,” Senate Majority Leader Francis N. Tolentino said in a statement. 

“This development should further bolster our efforts to protect the West Philippine Sea, and to continue to assert through legal and diplomatic means our sovereign rights over our exclusive economic zones and resources,” he added, referring to areas of the waterbody within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. 

The Chinese Embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a Viber message seeking comment. 

In January, Mr. Tolentino also filed Senate Resolution No. 1267, which called on the chamber to conduct an inquiry into the six-foot submersible drone, discovered by three fishermen in Masbate on Dec. 30, 2024.  

China and the Philippines have been at loggerheads over disputed features in the South China Sea as Beijing claims the waterway almost in its entirety. 

Mr. Tolentino urged Filipinos who discover sea drones to hand them over to the proper authorities. “If you find a drone, don’t tinker with it, don’t sell it, or keep it as a souvenir.” — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio