The Philippine government is turning to “foreign counterparts” to determine the origin and purpose of a submersible drone or unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) that was recovered by local fishermen off the coast of Masbate last December 30.
A National Security Council (NSC) official said on state television Friday that the 2.72-meter-long UUV is clearly a tool for information-gathering.
“This has national security implications. Very obviously, this drone is used for reconnaissance and surveillance, so it is imperative to the Philippines to determine from where it came and what was doing inside our archipelagic waters,” NSC Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya said in a mixture of Filipino and English.
“We are also coordinating closely with foreign counterparts to get additional information on this [UUV],” he added.
It was not clear what countries would be consulted in determining the submersible drone’s origins but, aside from its long-standing ties with the US, the Philippines has recently accelerated its defense ties with Australia, Canada, France, Japan and the United Kingdom, among others.
While Philippine military and police officials have indicated that the UUV was most likely sent from China, Malaya said it was premature to make a definitive conclusion.
Based on initial reports, the UUV was marked HY-119, which refers to a Chinese underwater navigation and communication system.
However, when asked whether the drone shows conclusive signs that it came from China, he stated that there was no “definitive result yet.”
In addition, the NSC official noted that authorities are reviewing vessel activity previously monitored in the area to aid in determining the submersible drone’s source.
“It could’ve come from anywhere so, what we are doing is trying to determine where it came from, what are its specifications, which vessels passed through that area, to determine where it really came from,” he added.
The UUV was initially retrieved by fishermen in the waters near San Pascual, Masbate, and then handed over to the police, who transferred it to the Philippine Navy the following day.
Meanwhile, the Police Regional Office 5 (PRO-5) is seeking the assistance of local government authorities in coastal communities to identify possible technological devices floating in coastal waters.
In an interview, PRO-5 Director Brigadier General Andre Dizon said he instructed police units in coastal barangays to request fishermen to report suspicious objects in the sea.
