MANILA – Malacañang and the Philippine Navy have denied China’s claim that it has occupied Sandy Cay, which it calls Tiexian Reef, in the contested West Philippines Sea.
According to Presidential Communications Office’s Undersecretary Claire Castro, the Inter-Agency Maritime Operation managed to conduct a site visit at Sandy Cay without any problem.
“Kumpleto po nilang naisagawa ito,” Castro said.
Philippine Navy spokesperson, Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, said China’s claim is meant to divert the attention of the public amid allegations of Chinese spies and an alleged troll farm hired by the Chinese Embassy in Manila in 2023.
“Chineck natin kasama ang Coast Guard, ang Navy, ang AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines), ang BFAR (Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources), and other agencies. Walang nakita doon and we were able to debunk ‘yung pinapalabas nila na may picture sila,” Trinidad said in an interview with DZBB on Monday.
“Hindi nga nakalagay kung kailan ‘yung picture na nakuha,” he added. “May nakitang mga Chinese Coast Guard at maritime militia na dati rati naman ay nandoon sapagkat ang Sandy Cay ay malapit naman ito sa Pag-Asa [Island].”
Chinese state broadcaster CCTV on Saturday reported that the country’s coast guard had “implemented maritime control” over Sandy Cay this month.
The tiny sandbank, part of the Spratly Islands, lies near Thitu Island, also called Pag-asa and site of a Philippine military facility./PN
