The Philippine Navy has spotted about 15 to 25 warships near Panganiban (Mischief) Reef, some 37 kilometers southeast of Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal where a grounded World War II-era warship serves as a Philippine outpost. Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad, the newly appointed Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea (WPS), also said about 200 Chinese maritime militia vessels, including 10 to 15 China Coast Guard (CCG) ships, were also spotted in the West Philippine Sea. This is higher than the figure cited by US maritime expert Ray Powell, when he said last week that China has deployed at least 50 maritime militia ships at Panganiban ahead of another resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal.

Corrales, N. (2024, January 31). More Chinese warships, maritime militia in WPS. Philippine Daily Inquirer, pp. A1, A2.