The Philippines would keep a closer guard on reefs, shoals and islets in its exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea, alarmed by reports of new reclamation activities by China, which Beijing denied. The Philippine Coast Guard said on Saturday it had deployed a ship to Sabina (Escoda) Shoal on the Spratly archipelago, where it accused China of building an artificial island, having documented what it said were piles of dead and crushed coral on the sandbars. Jonathan Malaya, spokesman for the National Security Council, said yesterday NSC chief Eduardo Año had ordered a tighter guard at locations within Manila’s 200-nautical-mile economic zone, as a long-standing diplomatic row with Beijing intensifies.

Lee-Brago, P. (2024, May 14). Phl to tighten guard on shoals, reefs, islets. The Philippine Star, pp. 1, 2.