Mr. Duterte emphasized his point yesterday as he expressed concern about reports of barges coming in that could indicate new construction activity at Panatag Shoal, also known as Scarborough Shoal, off the coast of Zambales province. China has been embarking on massive land reclamation in the disputed areas, and experts fear that the facilities it has built could be used for military purposes. In a speech at the inauguration of the Davao International Container Port on Friday, Mr. Duterte disclosed that he found it “unsettling” to read intelligence reports that there were a lot of barges at the Panatag Shoal area.

Salaverria, L. B., & Lacorte, G. (2016, September 3). Duterte alarmed by reports of Chinese barges in Panatag Shoal. Philippine Daily Inquirer, p. A4.