Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana Thursday said that there is a big possibility that China is looking to explore mineral-rich Benham Rise which is located off the Isabela coastline. Lorenza said following the incident, he has instructed the Philippine Navy that if they see this survey ship this year they should start to accost them and drive them away also from the eastern side of the Philippines. Lorenzana said that based on satellite photos they received, the survey ship started to ply the area sometime in July last year and it continued up to December 2016.

Wakefield, F. (2017, March 10). China ship seen in Benham Rise. Manila Bulletin, p. 7.