Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino (Senate PRIB)

Citing possible implications on national security, Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino has filed a resolution seeking to conduct an investigation, in aid of legislation, into the submersible drone recently discovered in Masbate.

Under Senate Resolution (SR) No. 1267, Tolentino is directing the Senate Special Committee on Philippine Maritime and Admiralty Zones to oversee the probe, focusing on the drone’s origins, operational capabilities, and compliance with Philippine laws.

The senator says there is an urgency in determining the drone’s compliance with the Philippine Maritime Zones Act and the Archipelagic Sea Lanes Law as its mere presence raises “critical concerns”.

Fishermen discovered the submersible drone on Dec. 30, off the coast of Barangay. Inawaran, San Pascual, Masbate.

Initial assessments suggest that the six-foot drone is likely of Chinese origin and appeared to be made of PVC and metal.

It is assumed to be a remote-controlled device, possibly used for communication and navigation.

Philippine National Police Regional Office-5 (PRO-5) Director PBGen. Andre Dizon said that as per preliminary research, the drone was a Chinese underwater navigation and communication system.

“It is crucial to ascertain whether the drone's presence constitutes a violation of Philippine laws, considering its discovery inside our archipelagic waters over which the Philippines has sovereignty,” Tolentino said in the resolution.

He says if it’s proven that the drone was used by a foreign state to conduct underwater surveillance without consent from the Philippine government, this constitutes a violation of Philippine sovereignty.

Citing the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, the senator pointed out that “foreign vessels have no navigational rights in the internal waters of the Philippines, unless expressly authorized by the Philippine Government".

He noted that under Section 13 of this law, the country has the right to take necessary legal and diplomatic actions against States whose vessels and aircraft do not abide by, or act inconsistently with, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and international law.

Violators of the law’s provisions may face an administrative fine of $600,000 to $1 million.

Tolentino is likewise urging the Senate panel to seek input from all relevant government agencies, including the Philippine Navy and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), to ensure a “thorough and coordinated” investigation of the matter.