Navy preparing for conversion of 2 Subic islands into military reservations

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Navy is readying for the military's planned takeover of portions of two islands at the mouth of Subic Bay once they are officially declared military reservations, a Navy spokesperson said on Tuesday, March 25. 

The 44-hectare Grande Island and the smaller Chiquita Island are positioned at the entrance to Subic Bay — a former United States military base located relatively close to Scarborough Shoal (Bajo de Masinloc), where China has maintained a persistent Coast Guard presence since 2012.  

Grande Island is considered by the Department of National Defense as a "strategic vantage point" that "gives a clear view of key sea lanes in the West Philippine Sea, including Bajo de Masinloc."

Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad, Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, confirmed that preparations are underway for the "eventual occupation" of the two islands.   

"The thrust right now of the Philippine Navy is to prepare for the eventual occupation or preparation of the land that will be awarded through a presidential proclamation declaring part of SBMA and Grande Island, Chiquita Island as military reservations," Trinidad told reporters at a press conference.

Trinidad noted the strategic value of the two islands to the military's efforts to increase its maritime presence in the Subic area, which lies on the western part of Luzon. "The natural layout of Subic Bay provides safe harbors for our ships. The aircraft we have a runway already existing, hence the need to be able to have a military presence, a foothold in the Subic area," he said.

This comes less than a week after law enforcement authorities arrested six foreign nationals and two Filipinos on Grande Island. The operation uncovered what defense officials described as "suspected espionage and kidnapping activities related to Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations."

The foreign nationals arrested on Grande Island were present before discussions began regarding the area’s conversion into a naval reservation, Trinidad said.

"They were there before the news reports on the planned naval reservation of parts of Subic Bay," the Navy spokesperson said in mixed English and Filipino. 

The March 19 arrests were conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority, and the Navy's special operations group. 

The raid specifically sought the arrest of Chinese national Ye Tianwu (Qiu Feng), who was wanted for violations of the Securities Regulation Code and the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.

The Department of National Defense said that converting these two islands into military reservations would enhance security for the Subic Special Economic Zone's commercial operations, including the Riviera Wharf and Subic Bay International Airport. 

The department also noted that the planned conversion aligns with "the ongoing development of the naval operating base of the Philippine Navy to strengthen and maintain our strategic presence along our western seaboard."