Malacañang is leaving it to security agencies to deal with the reported “massive” presence of Chinese ships in South China Sea areas that are being claimed by the Philippines. A recent article by American think tank Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) expressed concern over the “unseen” fishing activity in the region, “massive overcapacity” in the Spratlys and the “stunning scale and expense of the maritime militia” in the disputed area. Based on photos taken in the area, AMTI said most of the ships operating in the Spratlys are from China, many of which congregate in lagoons at Zamora (Subi) and Panganiban (Mischief) Reefs, and in nearby waters including around Philippine-held islets, the think tank said.

Romero, A., & Jaymalin, M. (2019, January 15). Palace leaving increased SCS presence to security agencies. The Philippine Star, p. 8.