Drone discovery in Philippines spurs call for US military expansion

A Philippine lawmaker’s call for an additional US military site to help counter foreign intrusions and potential resource exploitation following the recovery of a submarine drone allegedly from China has drawn mixed reactions from analysts and politicians.

Filipino congressman Robert Ace Barbers of Surigao del Norte said that having a naval base under the Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) in the south, particularly in his province, was crucial for protecting the country’s eastern seaboard, which is rich in deuterium deposits.

Deuterium, a type of hydrogen, is used in fusion reactors and has various military, industrial, and scientific uses.

Barbers warned in a statement last Thursday that foreign actors might be conducting intelligence operations targeting deuterium and other mineral resources in Philippine waters.

He was referring to the yellow drone, marked “HY-119”, retrieved by Filipino fishermen from the waters off the province of Masbate in the central Philippines.

“It is not far-fetched that China has long been conducting in-depth intel gathering inside Philippine waters, possibly including data about deuterium,” Barbers said.