DECEMBER 30, 2024, isang sea drone na may numerong HY 119 ang nakuha ng mga mangingisda malapit sa barangay Inarawan, San Pascual sa probinsya ng Masbate.
Ang nabanggit na drone ay agad na ipinaalam ng mga mangingisda sa Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
Sa isang pulong balitaan sa Headquarters ng AFP sa Camp Aguinaldo araw ng Martes, sinabi ni Philippine Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, patuloy ngayon ang kanilang ginagawa na masusing imbestigasyon at forensic analysis sa naturang submersive drone.
“It is currently undergoing forensic analysis which will last from 6 to 8 weeks i could say that bright yellow in color 3.5 meters in length 24 cm in diameters and weighs 94 kilograms equipments such this are use for gathering bathemetric data such us water temperature depth of water and salinity,” ayon kay Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad Spokesperson, WPS, PN.
Aminado naman ang opisyal na ang nakuhang drone ay mahirap aniyang ma-detect.
“Yong ganitong kagamitan ganitong equipment is dificult to detect,” saad nito.
Hindi rin aniya ito ang unang pagkakataon na meron silang nakukuhang drone o parte ng mga kagamitan sa karagatan na sakop ng Pilipinas.
‘’All our action and pronouncements are evidence based secondly it is not the first time that we have come across or receive a report bits and pieces of specimen of equipment like this,’’ ani Trinidad.
Tungkol naman sa tanong kung bakit hindi agad ito ibinalita sa publiko, paliwanag ni Trinidad.
“Just becuase it doesnt hit the news doesnt mean that we are doing anything if you noticed this yellow submarine drone first came out to social media and it gain traction from thier hindi ibigsabhin pag walang lumabas sa news wala tayong ginagawa,” dagdag nito.
Samantala, hindi pa malinaw para sa Philippine Navy kung saan at kanino galing ang nasabing drone at hindi rin nila masabi kung galing ba ito sa China.
“Alot of speculation has been going on but let me state that speculation is no substitute for evidence,” aniya.
Bilang tugon sa nasabing insidente, ito naman ang gagawin ng Hukbong Sandatahan ng Pilipinas.
‘’The AFP is on top of this situation and taking this seriously. The AFP currently is developing measures and counter measures to secure and protect our maritime domain in partnership with our treaty ally and other partner nations and autonomous and systems,” saad ni Trinidad.
