https://www.scmp.com/rss/522433/feed The Philippine Navy: A prominent Manila-based naval warfare service branch of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, it is dedicated to maritime defence and security. Its primary mission involves naval and maritime operations, safeguarding the nation’s territorial waters, Exclusive Economic Zone, and maritime interests, including the South China Sea. Key activities include maritime patrol, anti-piracy, humanitarian assistance, and amphibious operations. The Navy is undergoing significant... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Francis C. Domingo Francis C. Domingo The Philippines has exerted tremendous effort in conducting internal security operations since it gained its independence from the United States. Given the country’s reliance on Washington’s security umbrella until the 1990s, its military never effectively developed the capabilities for territorial defence operations. Indeed, the Korean war of 1950-1953 is the only overseas conflict in which Philippine military forces were deployed in combat operations. This preoccupation with internal security... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3348188/philippine-military-must-transform-not-just-modernise?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3348188/philippine-military-must-transform-not-just-modernise?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 03:00:10 +0000 Alan Robles Alan Robles As judges in The Hague consider whether former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte’s crimes against humanity case should proceed to trial, a parallel battle over the narrative has taken hold online. Prosecutors at the International Criminal Court (ICC) have accused Duterte of overseeing a campaign of extrajudicial killings linked to his signature “war on drugs”. Rights groups say the campaign left thousands dead during his 2016-2022 presidency, allegations he has repeatedly denied. Analysts... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3345198/allies-philippines-duterte-step-online-attacks-drug-war-trial-looms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3345198/allies-philippines-duterte-step-online-attacks-drug-war-trial-looms?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 06:00:10 +0000 Lucio Blanco Pitlo III Lucio Blanco Pitlo III Escalating clashes in the South China Sea between the Philippines and China have not only raised the urgency of a regional Code of Conduct but have created a volatile environment where the threshold for war is lowering and red lines are vanishing. As diplomatic efforts stall, the fraught ties between Manila and Beijing are creating a complex crisis defined by six key risks, ranging from the normalisation of violent skirmishes to a dangerous entanglement with cross-strait tensions. First, there... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3341871/south-china-sea-6-risks-facing-philippines-and-china-conflict-threshold-lowers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3341871/south-china-sea-6-risks-facing-philippines-and-china-conflict-threshold-lowers?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Feb 2026 03:00:32 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The Philippine military and coastguard have stepped up security around a newly announced natural gas discovery off Palawan, treating the operation as a test case for protecting future offshore energy projects in contested waters, according to officials familiar with the deployment. The expanded patrols cover Malampaya East-1, a fresh gas and condensate find about 5km from the existing Malampaya gas field, the country’s most important domestic energy source, which supplies fuel to power plants on... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3341473/philippines-steps-patrols-around-significant-gas-find-amid-security-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3341473/philippines-steps-patrols-around-significant-gas-find-amid-security-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Jan 2026 02:00:19 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A ferry with more than 350 people on board sank early Monday morning near an island in the southern Philippines, and rescuers have saved at least 316 passengers and retrieved 18 bodies, according to officials. The MV Trisha Kerstin 3, an inter-island cargo and passenger ferry, was sailing to southern Jolo island in Sulu province from the port city of Zamboanga with 332 passengers and 27 crew members when it apparently encountered technical problems and sank after midnight, coastguard officials... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3341197/philippine-ferry-carrying-over-350-people-sinks-least-15-dead?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3341197/philippine-ferry-carrying-over-350-people-sinks-least-15-dead?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2026 02:18:46 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou China and the Philippines have again exchanged barbs over confrontations in the disputed South China Sea, with each accusing the other of provocation and escalating tensions. The Chinese embassy in the Philippines on Tuesday said a statement the day before by the National Maritime Council – a government body created by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr in 2024 to address the nation’s maritime challenges – was “unfounded and misleading”. It accused Manila of “provoking trouble and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3339766/south-china-sea-claims-coercion-deception-beijing-and-manila-wage-new-war-words?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3339766/south-china-sea-claims-coercion-deception-beijing-and-manila-wage-new-war-words?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Jan 2026 12:06:07 +0000 Jeoffrey Maitem Jeoffrey Maitem The Philippines is stepping up efforts to protect undersea cables – the unseen backbone of digital communications – as a string of regional and global incidents has sharpened concerns that seabed infrastructure could be targeted for sabotage or espionage. Officials and analysts say the moves signal that so-called grey-zone activities – coercive actions that fall short of open conflict – beneath the sea are no longer going unnoticed. The concern is not only physical damage to submarine cables but... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3339336/philippines-ramps-protection-undersea-cables-amid-growing-grey-zone-threats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3339336/philippines-ramps-protection-undersea-cables-amid-growing-grey-zone-threats?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Jan 2026 09:08:00 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The Philippines has expressed confidence in countering China’s widening influence in contested waters as its navy presses ahead with expanding its fleet, joint activities with foreign partners and the use of unmanned systems. Analysts say these measures would boost the interoperability of the Philippine military across the sea and air, as the South China Sea dispute continues to dominate its security planning. “We are up to the challenge [posed by] … the People’s Liberation Army Navy, Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3339264/philippine-navy-confident-it-can-navigate-south-china-sea-dispute-challenge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3339264/philippine-navy-confident-it-can-navigate-south-china-sea-dispute-challenge?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Jan 2026 04:00:14 +0000 Jeoffrey Maitem Jeoffrey Maitem The Philippine Army has rolled out a locally developed remote weapons system that officials said would boost troop protection while advancing Manila’s push to build a self-reliant defence industry amid limited manpower and resources. The Controller Operated Battle-Ready Armament (Cobra) was formally turned over to the Department of National Defence on Thursday at the Army Armour Division headquarters in Camp O’Donnell, Capas, Tarlac, following two years of development led by the Department of... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3336746/why-philippine-army-turning-locally-built-remote-weapons-systems?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3336746/why-philippine-army-turning-locally-built-remote-weapons-systems?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Dec 2025 08:00:13 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The Philippine military has confirmed that plots to oust President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr were “not far-fetched”, but downplayed fears of a coup led by troops and said there was “no junta” forming within its ranks. “There is no such thing as a military junta within the [Armed Forces of the Philippines],” military spokeswoman Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla said on Tuesday. Her comments come amid rising public anger over a corruption scandal linked to flood-control infrastructure amounting to 100... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3334133/philippine-military-says-no-junta-its-ranks-warns-against-destabilisation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3334133/philippine-military-says-no-junta-its-ranks-warns-against-destabilisation?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Nov 2025 12:53:15 +0000 Jeoffrey Maitem Jeoffrey Maitem South Korea’s leading aircraft manufacturer has said it is in talks with the Philippines for more deals following an aerial show featuring the prowess of one of its newest multirole fighter jets near Seoul. Spectators filled the Seoul Air Base in Seongnam in Gyeonggi Province for the Seoul International Aerospace & Defence Exhibition 2025, with the Republic of Korea Air Force showcasing the capabilities of the KF-21 Boramae, developed by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), over the skies of the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3330423/philippines-talks-buy-more-south-korean-fighter-jets-aircraft-maker-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3330423/philippines-talks-buy-more-south-korean-fighter-jets-aircraft-maker-says?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Oct 2025 04:14:58 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The Philippine military has launched an unusually aggressive pushback against what it describes as a growing campaign to destabilise its personnel and ultimately unseat President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr. Army and navy officials have warned that disinformation campaigns, rogue recruitment drives and seditious messaging – often amplified on social media – pose a growing threat to military cohesion. The crackdown comes amid fears of a reprise of coup plots that rocked the country in previous... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3330232/philippines-hits-hard-against-campaign-recruit-military-and-destabilise-state?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3330232/philippines-hits-hard-against-campaign-recruit-military-and-destabilise-state?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Oct 2025 09:56:53 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles Philippine military chief Romeo Brawner Jnr has revealed he recently rebuffed a group of eight retired generals and colonels who urged him to tackle rampant corruption in the country, a call sources have described as a push for a “soft coup” to withdraw support from President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr and back Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio. General Brawner, who spoke to This Week in Asia after a briefing with the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (Focap) on Friday, said the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3328049/how-philippine-military-chief-foiled-soft-coup-bid-undermine-marcos?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3328049/how-philippine-military-chief-foiled-soft-coup-bid-undermine-marcos?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Oct 2025 02:00:12 +0000 Jeoffrey Maitem Jeoffrey Maitem The Philippines has taken delivery of its most modern warship yet, marking a milestone in efforts to strengthen its maritime defences in the South China Sea. The arrival of the BRP Diego Silang, a 3,200-tonne guided-missile frigate built in South Korea, offers the promise of greater surveillance and deterrence – even as analysts say the Philippines continues to lag behind its regional peers. At a ceremony held on Monday in a naval base in Subic Bay, Philippine military chief General Romeo... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3325689/philippines-new-warship-aims-boost-its-south-china-sea-defences-it-enough?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3325689/philippines-new-warship-aims-boost-its-south-china-sea-defences-it-enough?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Sep 2025 08:00:13 +0000 Jeoffrey Maitem Jeoffrey Maitem A US proposal to train Filipino fishermen as informants, tasked with reporting illegal fishing and environmental degradation by foreign vessels, has triggered concern that civilians could be thrust into the front lines of the South China Sea dispute. Jonathan Fritz, US principal deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, outlined the initiative during a round-table discussion at the US embassy in Manila on Thursday. Despite Washington’s recent overhaul of its foreign... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3325008/us-plan-use-filipino-fishermen-informants-raises-south-china-sea-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3325008/us-plan-use-filipino-fishermen-informants-raises-south-china-sea-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Sep 2025 08:30:14 +0000 Alyssa Chen,Liu Zhen Alyssa Chen,Liu Zhen Tensions are rising again at the disputed Second Thomas Shoal following a surge in activity from Chinese and Philippine vessels at a critical time for resupplying troops stationed on a stranded warship. The Philippines said a Chinese navy tugboat had been spotted approaching the BRP Sierra Madre, but downplayed suggestions it would try to tow the ageing ship away. Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, a spokesman for the Philippine Navy, said the 1,500-tonne tugboat 185 had been sighted just 5... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3323361/china-philippine-tensions-mount-disputed-second-thomas-shoal-resupply-deadline-looms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3323361/china-philippine-tensions-mount-disputed-second-thomas-shoal-resupply-deadline-looms?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Aug 2025 04:00:09 +0000 Raissa Robles Raissa Robles The Philippines has warned China that any attempt to board or tow away its grounded warship at the Second Thomas Shoal would be crossing a “red line” after Manila detected a sharp rise in Chinese maritime activity around the disputed feature in the South China Sea. Philippine Navy Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, spokesman for West Philippine Sea operations, told reporters on Tuesday that the military was closely monitoring a surge in Chinese maritime activity near the shoal, including the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3323393/philippines-warns-china-not-cross-red-line-over-grounded-warship-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3323393/philippines-warns-china-not-cross-red-line-over-grounded-warship-south-china-sea?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 Aug 2025 12:55:40 +0000