The People’s Republic of China is reportedly building a submarine harbor at Panganiban (Mischief) Reef, the reef which is just 250 kilometers west of Palawan Island of the Philippines. The Mischief Reef is now occupied and controlled by China but claimed by Taiwan the Philippines and Vietnam.
The revelations of the newest development in the Panganiban Reef was released to the media by the Kalayaan Atin Ito (KAI) movement. KAI has just concluded its nationwide maritime and territorial campaign that was highlighted by the “Freedom Voyage” to the disputed Spratly Islands to protest China’s invasion of the country’s maritime domain.
Panganiban Reef (Mischief Reef) is located within the country’s 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EZZ), it was first occupied by Biejing in 1995, purportedly as a shelter for fishermen but later on they developed the reef into one of its occupied island in the West Philippine Sea.
According to the KAI’s student volunteers, headed by former Marine Captain Nicanor Faeldon, the evil project does not concern the Filipino alone for but the entire humanity, including peace-loving Chinese people.
Although a report from the Freedom Voyage was released to the media, the Philippine Navy (PN), tasked to secured and guard the country’s maritime domain, has yet to comment on KAI’s claims that the Chinese are building a submarine naval facility in the Mischief Reef.
Kalayaan Mayor Eugenio Bito-onon said the KAI report needs further validation, noting the route taken by the student-volunteers during the Freedom Voyage as well as their return trip to Palawan was nowhere near Panganiban Reef.