‘Sandy Cay’ takeover coincides with PH-US missile drills
The Chinese government over the weekend announced that it had recently seized a reef controlled by Manila, a move conspicuously timed as Filipino and American troops were testing state-of-the-art air and coastal defense systems as part of their annual “Balikatan” [shoulder to shoulder] war games.
But the National Security Council said late yesterday that it deployed an Inter-Agency Maritime Operation (IAMO) to the Pag-asa island’s surrounding waters to reinforce the government’s ‘routine and lawful exercise of maritime domain awareness and jurisdiction over the West Philippine Sea.’
The NSC said four composite teams from the Philippine Navy, Coast Guard, and Philippine National Police- Maritime Group were deployed to all three cays. It noted the ‘illegal presence’ of a Chinese coast guard ship and seven militia vessels in the area.
Beijing’s state media said the Chinese Coast Guard (CGG) briefly took over a tiny sandbank near Pag-asa Island, the site of a military facility and the smallest Philippine municipality,
CCTV said that CCG personnel landed on Sandy Cay to “exercise sovereignty and jurisdiction” over the reef, carry out an “inspection” and “collect video evidence regarding the illegal activities of the Philippine side.”
The broadcaster published a photograph of two coast guard officials posing with a national flag on the reef’s white surface, in what CCTV described as a “vow of sovereignty.”
Beijing’s announcement coincided with US forces’ demonstration of their Marine Air Defense Integrated System (MADIS) at San Antonio, Zambales during the “Balikatan” [shoulder to shoulder] 2025 exercises with their Philippine allies.
During this portion of the annual military drills between Filipino and American troops, MADIS fired six to seven Stinger surface-to-air missiles along with 30mm chain gun and 7.62mm light machine gun rounds highlighting the system’s robustness and strong defensive capabilities.
“MADIS is a new system that we brought to the Philippines this year at the permission of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and we will be operating it alongside our Philippine Air Force partners,” US 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment Public Affairs Officer 1stLt. Annie Pentaleri told reporters during the Integrated Air and Defense Missile Defense Exercises in San Antonio, Zambales.
“We’ll be shooting kinetic weapons at the targets that you will be seeing, flying around. The main thing is that we’re conducting that bilateral training with the Filipinos and building a (strong) relationship (between the Philippines and United States),” Pentaleri added.
She added that MADIS operated as part of the coastal defense mission.
The Philippine Air Force conducted dry firing of its Spyder air-defense missile as part of its participation in the exercises.
“We don’t know what will happen, that is why we always train, because of this training it will enhance our skills, our capabilities and improve our doctrines.” Maj. Romeo Cardeño of the Philippine Air Force told reporters.
Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino condemned the CCG’s seizure of Sandy Cay, calling it an “outrageous assault” on Philippine sovereignty.
“Sandy Cay lies within our territorial waters, indisputably ours under international law,” he said.
“This brazen intrusion must be met by the strongest diplomatic and defensive measures. We must not allow foreign forces to trample upon our rights and dignity,” he added.
Tolentino warned that failure by Manila to respond firmly could encourage further violations of Philippine territory.
“The West Philippine Sea belongs to the Filipino people and no intimidation and act of aggression can ever change that. We call on all Filipinos to stand firm and defend what is ours,” he concluded.
It was later reported that the CCG left the reef after planting the Chinese flag with no indication that it had plans to permanently occupy the tiny ocean feature.
For his part, US Marine Corps Lieutenant General James Glynn said at the Balikatan 2025 opening ceremony in Manila that the two sides would “demonstrate not just our will to uphold our mutual defense treaty in existence since 1951 but our matchless capability to do so.”
“Nothing builds bonds more quickly than shared adversity,” he said, without specifying a common threat.
As this developed, the Philippine Navy on Sunday confirmed the presence of Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLA-N) vessels near Philippine and allied ships participating in the Balikatan 2025’s Maritime Multilateral Exercise (MME) on Saturday, 60 nautical miles west of Palauig, Zambales.
The Chinese vessels included a Jiangkai II-class frigate with bow number 579, a vessel with bow number 500, and the Dongdiao II-class auxiliary surveillance ship with bow number 797.
“Despite the presence of these PLA-N vessels, the training activities proceeded without disruption. BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PS16) and BRP Apolinario Mabini (PS36) continued their operations as planned.” Navy Spokesperson Captain John Percie Alcos said. With AFP