Manila investigates potential construction in contested Scarborough waters.

The Philippine government has launched a probe into claims of construction activity within the contested waters of Scarborough Shoal, taking all reported developments extremely seriously as they pertain to national sovereignty.

On Wednesday, a Philippine task force disclosed its probe into claims of a newly constructed feature within the contested Scarborough Shoal area of the South China Sea, emphasizing the significance of protecting national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The Philippines views with utmost gravity any undertaking that could compromise its territorial integrity, exclusive economic zone, and lawful authority within the West Philippine Sea, according to a statement from the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea.

Manila refers to the area as the West Philippine Sea, situated within its designated exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea region.

At the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore on Saturday, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro shared details with reporters about receiving unverified intelligence regarding a potential construction project on Scarborough Shoal. The shoal has been under China's de facto control since a tense standoff between China and the Philippines in 2012.

Teodoro notes that the data remains unverified, hence its current status as raw information. Periodic deployments of buoys and equipment have been observed within the contested waters. The presence of these items could indicate external drift or other factors at play.

No information was forthcoming from either Teodoro or the Philippine task force responsible for the South China Sea, but Sealight, a US-based maritime monitoring organization, released images on Tuesday revealing a possible construction site near Scarborough Shoal's entrance.

Located approximately 200 kilometers west of the mainland, Scarborough is renowned for its rich marine resources. Situated at a distance of 874 kilometers from Hainan Island in southern China.

China's presence in the disputed Scarborough waters has been a persistent feature since 2012 consistently.

The status of Scarborough remains unresolved, with its ownership disputed between China, which refers to it as Huangyan Island and the Philippines. A 2016 tribunal found in favor of the latter, condemning China's blockade of the shoal as unlawful and confirming the area's long-standing use by multiple nations for fishing purposes.

Government agencies in the Philippines are cross-checking reports of a possible new construction via monitoring systems.

Manila reaffirms its commitment to safeguarding its maritime sovereignty and adhering to global legal standards firmly.

A spokesperson from the Chinese embassy in Manila has yet to provide a statement on the matter.

Scarborough approximately 200 kilometers west of the mainland, Scarborough is renowned for its rich marine resources. Situated at a distance of 874 kilometers from Hainan Island in southern China.