The national government on Monday, Aug. 3, rejected China’s announcement that it carried out joint naval and air combat exercises around Bajo de Masinloc or Scarbororugh Shoal (Panatag Shoal) in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), saying available monitoring by security agencies did not support the claim.

National Maritime Council (NMC) spokesperson Undersecretary Alexander Lopez said reports from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) showed the continued presence of Chinese vessels in the area but did not detect the activities described by China.

“Based on currently available reporting, the report that China conducted a joint naval-air combat patrol around Bajo de Masinloc on Aug. 1, 2026 was deemed not credible,” said Lopez, a retired admiral.

“As per monitoring and reports from our AFP and PCG units, there is a presence of China Coast Guard, maritime militia, and People's Liberation Army-Navy (PLA-N) vessels at Bajo de Masinloc, as monitored and reported on a daily basis,” he continued.

“But as to the actual conduct of navy-air combat drills, there were no such activities. This is again Chinese propaganda to ‘assert’ their maritime claims and support their activities over Bajo de Masinloc,” he added.

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theater Command announced on Aug. 1 that it had conducted joint naval and air exercises in and around Scarborough Shoal, known locally as Bajo de Masinloc, located 124 nautical miles from the coast of Zambales, within the 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the country, and about 472 nautical miles from Hainan, the nearest point in China. 

Chinese state media reported that the drills involved H-6K bombers armed with YJ-12 supersonic anti-ship missiles, guided missile frigates, helicopters, amphibious vessels, and China Coast Guard ships carrying out interception, boarding, inspection, and towing operations.

China announced the exercises days after Manila submitted to the United Nations (UN) its bid to extend its continental shelf beyond the country's 200-nautical-mile EEZ off Palawan. The national government also deposited its official nautical chart of Bajo de Masinloc with the UN.

Beijing rejected both moves, describing them as illegal and insisting on its claim over the disputed shoal. It also urged the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf not to act on the Philippine submission.

Despite China's statements, Lopez said military activities cannot change ownership or maritime entitlements under international law.

“Be that as it may, even if China does conduct naval and air patrols around Bajo de Masinloc, such activities do not alter the legal status of the area, based on international law, including UNCLOS [United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 Arbitral Award. Bajo de Masinloc remains an integral part of Philippine territory and the Philippines exercises sovereignty and sovereign rights over the maritime zones that surround it,” he said.

“It is important to note that military drills cannot create sovereignty or maritime rights under international law,” he added.

The NMC said the government will continue monitoring developments in the area while considering diplomatic action based only on verified information.

“Any military drills at Bajo de Masinloc are deemed illegal and can pose security and safety issues to civilian shipping, air traffic, and fishing activities in the area. Diplomatic actions will be based on verified reports coming from our operational units, including the AFP, PCG, and BFAR [Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources],” Lopez said.

Scarborough Shoal has remained one of the main flashpoints in the South China Sea, with repeated confrontations between Philippine and Chinese vessels.

The dispute continues despite the 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated China's sweeping claims in the South China Sea, a decision Beijing continues to reject.