A cloud of thick smoke rising from the BRP Sierra Madre in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) recently became the latest target of Chinese disinformation, the Philippine Navy said on Tuesday, March 4.

The smoke, seen in footage released by Chinese state media, was not the result of an environmental hazard or deliberate burning but rather a routine fire drill, a naval official clarified.

Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, the Navy’s spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, explained that the fire drill took place on February 28 as part of the military’s regular operational exercises to ensure the ship’s readiness.

“These (activities) are designed to ensure the survivability and operational readiness of that warship,” Trinidad said during a press briefing of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

Trinidad assured the public that there was no environmental damage and that all personnel aboard the BRP Sierra Madre were safe.

“Nevertheless, this was put under control, there was no damage to the environment, all the men aboard the ship are safe,” he emphasized. “The exercise was conducted successfully.”

His statement came after Chinese state media outlet CGTN aired footage on March 1 showing smoke billowing from the Philippine ship, alleging that it resulted from an unauthorized burning activity that caused pollution in the West Philippine Sea.

China accused the Philippines of environmental pollution after releasing the footage, claiming it showed Philippine troops burning rubbish and producing thick smoke in disputed waters.

Trinidad admitted that the smoke spread more than intended due to strong winds.

“The exercise for this particular activity was a fire drill. And they usually use combustible materials — those that burn easily. It so happened that due to the strong winds, the fire grew stronger, but they were able to put everything under control,” he said, speaking in a mix of English and Filipino.

CGTN, however, claimed the ship was engaged in activities that were environmentally damaging.

“Recent video footage shows environmentally damaging activities onboard the vessel… Heavy smoke is seen from an apparent burning activity on a grounded Philippine military vessel,” CGTN reported.

Trinidad dismissed this as part of China’s broader disinformation campaign against the Philippines.

“This is part of the deceptive messaging of the Chinese Communist Party,” he said. “The battlefield is the cognitive domain or the minds of the Filipino people. This is also called (foreign influence and) malign influence (operation).”

The BRP Sierra Madre, a World War 2-era naval vessel, has been stationed at Ayungin Shoal since 1999 as a strategic outpost asserting Philippine sovereignty.

Ayungin Shoal, a submerged reef in the Spratly Islands, lies 105 nautical miles west of Palawan and falls within the Philippines’ 200-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The ship has been a flashpoint in tensions between Manila and Beijing, particularly during Philippine resupply missions.

In an effort to prevent further confrontations, the Philippines and China agreed on January 16 to indefinitely implement a July 2024 arrangement aimed at reducing tensions at the shoal. The deal followed a violent encounter between Philippine and Chinese forces on June 17, 2024.

Despite these agreements, Beijing continues to assert its expansive claims over nearly the entire South China Sea, disregarding the 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated its claims. 

The Philippine government has reinforced its position by officially referring to the disputed waters within its EEZ as the West Philippine Sea.

China’s Palawan claim dismissed as “absurd”

As tensions persist over maritime disputes, another wave of disinformation has emerged — this time concerning the Philippine province of Palawan.

A false narrative circulating on Chinese social media platforms claims that China once governed Palawan for 1,000 years, referring to it as “Zheng He Island”, and that it should be returned to Beijing.

Trinidad dismissed the claim outright, calling it baseless and illogical.

“Such statements about Palawan are baseless. They are bereft of legal references. They are beyond common sense. In short, totally absurd,” he said.

“It will never happen that a part of the Philippines will be included in the sovereign territory of any other country,” he added.

Asked if this misinformation could be traced back to the Chinese government, Trinidad did not rule out the possibility.

“In an authoritarian state where social media and freedom of expression are regulated by the government, everything is possible,” he remarked.

National Security Adviser Eduardo Año also condemned the disinformation campaign, warning that it was a deliberate attempt to distort history and mislead the public.

“We categorically reject the baseless and revisionist claims circulating on Chinese social media that Palawan was historically part of China and should be ‘returned’ to it”, Año said in a statement.

“These assertions are outright fabrications intended to distort history, deceive the public, and challenge the Philippines’ sovereignty over its lawful and internationally recognized territory,” he added.

The Philippine government is currently investigating the origins of the claim, which first surfaced on Chinese social media platforms Weibo and Red Note.

Año stressed that while the claim did not come from official Chinese government sources or mainstream media, it was still part of a broader effort to undermine Philippine sovereignty.

“Nonetheless, these false narratives, proliferated through digital disinformation and information warfare tactics, appear to be part of a broader effort to manipulate public perception both in the Philippines and China,” he said.

260 Chinese ships spotted in February

Meanwhile, Philippine authorities reported a surge in the presence of Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea.

According to the Philippine Navy, a total of 260 Chinese ships, including warships, were detected in February alone.

Trinidad noted that nine China Coast Guard vessels were spotted near Bajo de Masinloc, while seven were seen at Ayungin Shoal. Furthermore, two People’s Liberation Army Navy warships were observed operating in Philippine waters.

“For the month of February, a total of 260 different ships were monitored all over the WPS, especially our features,” he said.

AFP spokesperson Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla criticized the unauthorized presence of these ships, saying they “blatantly disregard the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal ruling and infringe upon our sovereignty and sovereign rights.”

She reaffirmed the AFP’s commitment to upholding international law and defending Philippine territorial integrity.

Despite repeated diplomatic protests from Manila, China has refused to withdraw its vessels from the area.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun previously defended Beijing’s maritime presence, insisting that China’s sovereignty and maritime rights in the South China Sea were based on historical claims.

As the geopolitical struggle continues, the Philippines remains firm in its stance: defending its territory against foreign incursions—whether in the physical realm or in the battlefield of information.

Photo credit: Radyo Pilipinas. Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, Philippine Navy’s spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea.