Marcos orders probe into dredging activities

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May 7, 2025 | 8:13pm

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered an investigation into dredging operations in coastal areas, where sand is allegedly being extracted from shorelines for reclamation activities in disputed territories such as the West Philippine Sea.

During a hearing by the Senate Special Committee on Philippine Maritime and Admiralty Zones, the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) confirmed that they were probing the possibility that members of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army were among the dredgers on the country’s coasts. 

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro confirmed that Marcos has received such information,  

“Inutos po ng Pangulo na magkaroon po ng masinsinang pag-iimbestiga patungkol dito,” Castro said in a press briefing. 

Castro said that the probe is ongoing. Marcos’ orders will depend on the outcome of the final results of the investigation. 

Included in the probe is whether or not there are local officials who are liable. 

“Kung may dapat panagutin dapat pong managot. So, masinsinan po at malalim na pag-iimbestiga po ang dapat na gawin dito,” Castro said. 

(If there is someone who needs to answer for this, they should be held in account. So a thorough and deep investigation needs to be done here.) 

Under former president Rodrigo Duterte’s term, reclamation activities, particularly in the Manila Bay area, flourished. At least 22 reclamation projects in Manila Bay were approved under Duterte’s watch — projects that would soon be suspended under Marcos’ administration. 

NICA Deputy Director General Ashley Acedillo said that while he could not disclose much about the probe yet, they are keeping tabs on all the firms that are conducting dredging activities across the countries. 

“Mismong buhangin galing sa ating mga coastal areas ang mismong pinangtatambak, as a matter of fact sa mga disputed areas natin,” Acedillo said. 

(The sand from our coastal areas is the one used to dump, as a matter of fact, on our disputed areas.) 

China has a history of reclamation activities in the West Philippine Sea, building artificial islands and shoals in the country’s territorial waters. Despite the Permanent Court of Arbitration junking China’s claim over the West Philippine Sea, Beijing has continued to circle Manila’s waters.