The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) says it has found no confirmed signs that a Chinese ship is drilling at Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal, after monitoring the vessel for about 25 to 28 days.
AFP officials state the ship’s presence and track indicate it is carrying out surveillance or research activities rather than drilling. They add that their monitoring capabilities have not reported any drilling operations linked to the vessel during the period it remained in the area.
The reporting across outlets emphasizes the AFP’s assessment: that the Chinese vessel is conducting research or surveillance, and that any claims about drilling are not substantiated by AFP observations. Neither source cites evidence of active drilling from the ship, nor does it describe any confirmed drilling-related activity observed by Philippine authorities.
