The Philippine Navy on Sunday said the two Chinese vessels spotted at the Philippine (Benham) Rise are now outside the exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Philippine Navy spokesperson Commodore Roy Trinidad said they monitored on Saturday afternoon that the Chinese vessels had left the EEZ.

“We monitored that as of 3 pm yesterday they were outside of the EEZ,” Trinidad said in a radio interview.

“The Naval Forces Northern Luzon were supposed to send surveillance flights that day but could not proceed due to inclement weather. They will attempt to do so again today,” he said.

Raymond Powell, Sealight Director at Stanford University's Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation, on his X (formerly Twitter) account on Saturday reported they found two Chinese vessels “loitering” in the area of the Philippine Rise.

Trinidad said the Chinese acknowledged that the Philippine Rise was part of the country’s territory.

According to Trinidad, the presence of the navy has not yet reached the Philippine Rise but they have development plans in the area, which has more troubled seas than in the West Philippine Sea.

“For now, our monitoring and surveillance is almost 24/7. Our presence hasn’t reached that area because it is farther and more remote compared to our West Philippine Sea detachment,” he said.

“We have capability development plans…The sea condition is different in Benham Rise since it is facing the Pacific Ocean. There are times when there are rough seas in the West Philippine Sea but it is rougher in the Eastern seaboard. So yes, we have development plans that will require equipment,” Trinidad said.

He also reported that the Philippine Navy had “normal, regular and unimpeded” rotation and resupply missions in eight of the nine detachments in the West Philippine Sea.

Trinidad said the government has allocated funds for the development and rehabilitation of the BRP Sierra Madre, a vessel that is grounded in Ayungin Shoal.

“Our thrust was the comfort, the safety, and the behavioral habitability of our personnel on the ship,” Trinidad said.

“As for the other agencies, I believe they will be the ones implementing the details of this development project, so I don’t know the details of this,” he added. Jaspearl Tan/DMS