Malacañang on Tuesday expressed concern over the presence of the China Coast Guard’s biggest ship, dubbed “The Monster,” in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, saying its deployment was a “power projection” on the part of Beijing.
“We view it with concern,” Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said. “This could be a case of power projection.”
“Our Coast Guard has been very alert in following up the presence of that monster ship. It comes and goes and it is within our exclusive economic zone,” Bersamin added.
The Philippine Coast Guard said the presence of CCG 5901 near Scarborough Shoal is “illegal,” adding that its movement shows it is not in the area for “innocent passage.”
“Observations reveal that the CCG vessel’s erratic movements indicate it is not engaged in innocent passage but rather asserts that it is conducting a law enforcement operation, claiming jurisdiction over these waters as belonging to the People’s Republic of China,” PCG spokesperson for the WPS Commodore Jay Tarriela said in a post on X.
“It is concerning,” added Philippine Navy spokesperson for the WPS Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad. “Not only the monster ship but even the other intrusions in our EEZ in the West Philippine Sea—the CCG, [People’s Liberation Army Navy], maritime militia, and research vessels on the eastern seaboard, on the northern passage.”
The “Monster” ship was spotted in the coastline of Capones Island in Zambales last week days after a submersible drone was recovered in Masbate waters, which the Navy said may be launched by a surface ship.
“Based on the physical description of the equipment, which I have seen, the absence of any attachments for airdrop capability would rule out an air launch platform. Since the wings are not foldable, then we could rule out a submarine launch method for this. So most likely, this was launched from a mothership, a mother craft. It is not large enough to travel far distances so it will need a mother ship,” Trinidad said.
Navy Commodore John Percie Alcos acknowledged the submersible drone may be used for military applications.
“While initial observations suggest that it may be a submersible used for scientific research or fish tracking, alternative perspectives point to possible military applications,” Alcos said.
The underwater drone is undergoing forensic analysis that will take six to eight weeks to determine its origin, purpose, and technical specifications, Alcos added.
Amid the continued incursions in the West Philippine Sea, the Department of Information and Communications Technology confirmed on Tuesday that various executive branch agencies have been targeted by cyberattacks allegedly linked to China.
DICT Undersecretary for Cybersecurity Jeffrey Ian Dy said the attacks affected agencies such as the Philippine Coast Guard, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Department of Agriculture, and even the Office of the President.
“So far, what we have seen is that no current information has been compromised. What we have seen are old data from many years ago that are being regurgitated, recycled just to make an impression that they were successful in doing so,” Dy said.
“We’re able to secure the systems so that it remains just an attempt and not be able to compromise some of the more sensitive data,” he added.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines, for its part, reaffirmed its commitment to strengthen the country’s cybersecurity following reports of persistent cyberattacks.
AFP spokesperson Col. Margareth Padilla said: “In terms of our cybersecurity efforts, our Commander-in-Chief emphasized the need to strengthen our cyber defenses and collaborate with other agencies.”
“Cybersecurity is everyone’s concern…The important thing is that we can detect and deter these attacks,” Padilla added.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “‘The Monster’ cruising in Philippine waters concerns Palace.”
