Philippine security officials have firmly denied Chinese claims that it had taken control of Sandy Cay, a cluster of sandbars near Pag-asa Island in the West Philippine Sea, branding Beijing’s narrative as “disinformation” aimed at stirring tensions amid sensitive political and security developments in the country.

Reports from Chinese state media over the weekend alleged that the China Coast Guard (CCG) had taken control of the sandbars, known as the Pag-asa Cays. The Philippines, however, promptly responded, denouncing the claims as false and a “usual tactic” used by Beijing to sow confusion and assert exaggerated territorial control.

“There is no truth whatsoever to the claim of the Chinese Coast Guard that the Pag-asa Cays have been seized,” said National Security Council (NSC)’s assistant director general Jonathan Malaya in a press briefing in Manila on April 28. “The facts on the ground do not support this statement.”

Malaya emphasized that “no illegal seizure” had occurred and urged Beijing and its coast guard to act with restraint and avoid further escalation in the disputed waters.

Philippine forces verify ground situation

The denial comes after China’s state broadcaster CCTV reported on April 26 that CCG officers had “enforced maritime management and exercised sovereign jurisdiction” over what it called Tiexian Jiao, known to the Philippines as Sandy Cay. The report included photos of Chinese personnel unfurling a flag on the cays and accused Filipino forces of engaging in “illegal activities”.

In response, Philippine authorities swiftly launched an Inter-Agency Maritime Operation on April 27, deploying personnel from the Philippine Navy, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), and the Philippine National Police Maritime Group to Pag-asa Cay 1, Cay 2, and Cay 3.

Malaya, also a member of the National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS), said all three teams reported no signs of Chinese occupation or infrastructure on the sandbars. “We assure the public that we have not lost anything,” he said. “Until today, there is no occupation of the Pag-asa Island Cays.”

Pag-asa Cays are located within 3.5 nautical miles of Pag-asa Island, which means they fall well within its 12-nautical-mile territorial sea under international law. The Philippines maintains that this grants it sovereignty over the features.

Chinese presence, no occupation

Commodore Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, emphasized that while Chinese vessels were observed in the vicinity, there was no evidence of a physical takeover.

Tarriela elaborated that CCG vessel 5102 was seen from a distance but did not land on the sandbars. “China Coast Guard 5102 never landed on Pag-asa Cay 2. From a certain distance, they were just taking photos and videos of the activities of the members of the (Philippine) team while we were inspecting the immediate surroundings,” he said.

According to Tarriela, seven Chinese maritime militia vessels were observed anchored between Pag-asa Cays 2 and 3 during the operation, but their presence alone does not equate to a seizure. The Philippine teams found no installations, equipment, or structures that would indicate occupation.

“The Chinese disinformation (effort) is why they (Chinese) have seized control of the Sandy Cay,” Tarriela said, explaining that Beijing sought to create the impression of occupation even without actual control.

Last week, China’s state broadcaster CCTV showed footage of Chinese officers unfurling a flag on the sandbars and claimed they had “enforced maritime management and exercised sovereign jurisdiction”.

Yet the Philippine side swiftly dismantled these claims through detailed field reports.

“We can totally debunk the lie and disinformation of the People’s Republic of China that they have already occupied the Pag-asa Cays,” Tarriela said.

The Philippine operation was carried out by four composite teams aboard rubber boats. Teams One and Two landed on Cay 1, Team Three inspected Cay 2, and Team Four reached Cay 3. While conducting surveillance, the team observed a CCG vessel approximately 1,000 yards east of Cay 2. A rigid-hull inflatable boat was launched by the Chinese but never approached land.

Chinese accusations

On April 27 evening, CCG spokesperson Liu Dejun alleged that six Filipino personnel had “illegally boarded” Sandy Cay, which China refers to as Tiexian Reef, and that Chinese officers subsequently “investigated and dealt with it in accordance with the law”.

Liu demanded the Philippines “immediately stop its infringement”, asserting that the actions violated China’s territorial sovereignty, a claim the Philippines flatly rejects.

In a statement released also on April 27, the NSC described the interagency operation as a lawful and routine exercise of maritime domain awareness and jurisdiction. 

“This operation reflects the unwavering dedication and commitment of the Philippine government to uphold the country’s sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction in the West Philippine Sea,” the statement read.

Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, spokesperson of the Philippine Navy for the West Philippine Sea, urged the public to view China’s disinformation campaign within a broader geopolitical context.

“We need to look at this from a geopolitical perspective,” Trinidad said in a radio interview. He noted that the disinformation followed a series of recent developments, including the ongoing Balikatan joint military exercises with the United States and accusations that China was interfering in Philippine political affairs.

Trinidad also pointed to ongoing investigations linking China to underwater drones found across Philippine waters, saying the disinformation could be a diversion tactic. 

“Right now, the other side is under pressure. So, they have to come up with an issue to divert attention,” he added in mixed Filipino and English.

No basis for China’s claims

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) supported the NSC and NTF-WPS findings, saying it found “no evidence to support claims that the China Coast Guard asserted control or seized any cays of Pag-asa Island”.

This conclusion was based on routine maritime patrols and report verification conducted by the AFP Western Command. 

“The sovereignty of the Philippines over these Cays is firmly established under international law,” the AFP said in a statement on April 28. “We remain committed to upholding national sovereignty, protecting the country’s maritime domain, and asserting our lawful rights in accordance with international law.”

According to the AFP, Pag-asa Cay 2 is sovereign Philippine territory, while Cays 1 and 3 are low-tide elevations that form part of Pag-asa Island’s territorial sea and seabed. These geographical facts underpin the Philippines’ claim of jurisdiction.

As tensions continue to simmer in the South China Sea, the Philippine government has emphasized the importance of transparency and timely action to counter propaganda and ensure peace in the region.

“This press conference was called to clarify and state for the record the Philippine response to the alleged seizure of Sandy Cay,” Malaya said on April 28. “We have to give equal space to our position and assure the people and the world that no seizure happened.”

The latest dispute over Sandy Cay marks a new flashpoint in the long-standing territorial tensions between the Philippines and China in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims almost in its entirety.

While Chinese ships remain a consistent presence near the disputed features, Philippine officials say sovereignty remains firmly in the hands of the Philippines, not through confrontation, but through vigilant, lawful, and strategic maritime domain awareness.

Photo credit: Armed Forces of the Philippines. Philippine Navy, Coast Guard and Police Maritime Group personnel with the national flag during a maritime operation at Sandy Cay 2 on April 27, 2025.