MANILA, Philippines — Philippine authorities have confirmed the removal of a floating platform that had been monitored inside the lagoon of Bajo de Masinloc, the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) said on Wednesday.
In a statement, the task force said the platform's removal was verified through maritime domain awareness patrols and monitoring operations conducted by Philippine authorities on June 17.
The NTF-WPS noted that the Philippines had filed a diplomatic protest after detecting the structure within the disputed shoal.
While acknowledging the platform's removal, the task force reiterated the Philippines' claim over Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal.
"Only the Philippines has the right to place or construct structures and conduct activities, including marine scientific research, in Bajo de Masinloc and its territorial sea," the NTF-WPS said.
The task force maintained that the country has longstanding sovereignty and jurisdiction over the area, citing historical records, official government documents, cartographic evidence and continuous acts of administration.
The NTF-WPS also said Philippine authorities would continue conducting regular maritime patrols, maritime domain awareness operations and lawful presence missions in and around Bajo de Masinloc.
The task force called on foreign entities to comply with international law and refrain from activities that infringe on Philippine sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction.
The government remains committed to protecting the country's territorial integrity and defending its entitlements in the West Philippine Sea, the NTF-WPS said.
