Manila: The country’s military reported on Tuesday ( Apr 15 ), noting that at least one of the five underwater drones had relayed a signal to China.
The revelation comes as Manila prepares for significant military exercises with convention alliance the United States this month following decades of conflict between the Philippines and China in the contested South China Sea.
At a lecture on Tuesday, Spanish military authorities stated to reporters that the drones were discovered between 2022 and 2024 in locations “important carefully in the defence and security not only of the country but also for global sea navigation.
Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, who claimed the data could be used for “underwater warfare,” detecting challenges and testing ammunition beneath the surface, said that their data set served “beyond navigation.”
Trinidad noted that several of the drones had Foreign markings, and at least one had relayed a sign to China, despite declining to clearly identify their origin.
The final touch of the SIM card was made in island China, according to Trinidad, who serves as the military’s spokesman for South China Sea issues.” Based on the specialized study of the investigations of the SIM card ( found on one of the five robots ), the next contact of the card was made in mainland China,” said Trinidad.
Three drones, including two near the Balintang Channel south of Taiwan, were discovered off the north coast of the Philippines ‘ main island, Luzon, he added.
Two more were found close to what were deemed to be” critical chokepoints,” one close to Masbate Island in the central Philippines, and the other close to Mindanao, the southern island.
The Chinese Embassy did not respond to e-mail inquiries right away.