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Claim: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered the establishment of a military base in the Spratly Islands.
Rating: FALSE
Why we fact-checked this: The claim was made in the title of a YouTube video posted on July 21 which has 8,600 views, 825 likes, and 60 comments as of writing.
The video’s title reads: “HETO NA! PBBM NAGUTOS SPRATLY ISLAND LALAGYAN NA NG MILITARY BASE CHINA NAWINDANG! (REACTION VIDEO)”
(Here it is! PBBM orders the placement of a military base in Spratly Islands, China in shock!)
The bottom line: Despite the video’s title, Marcos didn’t order a military base in the Spratly Islands, but a lawmaker suggested a task force to boost the Philippines’ military presence there and reinforce its claim over the disputed islands.
No statement: The President had previously issued several statements concerning territorial disputes with China, but no military base in the Spratlys has been mentioned. In his first State of the Nation Address in July 2022, Marcos pledged to safeguard the country’s sovereignty, vowing not to relinquish “even one square inch” of the Philippines’ territory to any foreign power.
In December 2022, Marcos said the Philippines should explore oil and gas reserves in the West Philippine Sea even without an agreement with China. This followed his foreign affairs secretary’s announcement in August, expressing Manila’s willingness to negotiate with Beijing while ensuring adherence to Philippine laws.
Early this year, Marcos stressed the importance of better communication between the Philippines and China regarding the maritime dispute. He proposed that members of a bilateral group handling the West Philippine Sea dispute should have “direct access” to him and Chinese President Xi Jinping to expedite resolution of the issue.
In May, Marcos also suggested that China form a communications team to help ease maritime tensions. This proposal came after a Chinese Coast Guard ship came dangerously close to a Philippine patrol vessel near the Ayungin Shoal in April.
Task force proposal: To strengthen the Philippines’ claim, Cagayan de Oro 2nd District Representative Rufus Rodriguez is proposing the creation of a Spratly Island Task Force under the Armed Forces of the Philippines which will “exclusively handle the protection and security over the Spratly Islands.”
In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines in a case challenging China’s expansive claims over the South China Sea. – Jezreel Ines/Rappler.com
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