The Philippine government confirmed the presence of a floating structure which ''appears to be an antenna'' monitored within the Scarborough Shoal.

It did not say where the structure came from and the country which sent it to Scarborough Shoal.

"Aerial monitoring by several agencies has confirmed the presence of a 6x6-meter floating structure with what appears to be an antenna," the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea said in a statement on Tuesday.

"Latest imagery obtained by the AFP likewise shows the presence of personnel on top of the structure," it added.

The task force noted that the recent monitoring of the Philippine Coast Guard shows "that the platform is currently located within the shoal, with individuals observed onboard."

In an interview with reporters on Monday, Armed Forces of Philippines (AFP) Chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said "based on the image captured by the Philippine Air Force that flew over the Bajo de Masinloc, there are six people on that structure".

"Whenever the weather is good, we deploy aircraft to monitor the developments, we will also deploy ships and Coast Guard ships," he said.

Brawner assured that the military will not allow the structure in Scarborough Shoal to develop into an artificial island like what happened in other reefs in Kalayaan Island Group (KIG) that were reclaimed by China in the West Philippine Sea.

"We will not allow the repetition of what happened before, where a small structure that was built, later grows into an artificial island, we will not allow that to happen again," he said.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said "appropriate diplomatic action, such as several demarches and the issuance of a formal protest, against the structure in Bajo de Masinloc reported by the AFP and the PCG" were done.

"We are unable to discuss the specific contents of the demarches and the diplomatic protest any further as these are confidential communications," it added.

The NTF-WPS is closely coordinating with relevant government agencies to monitor developments and further assess the nature, purpose, and implications of the installation and related activities within the shoal.

"Inter-agency efforts are ongoing to establish a complete and accurate picture of the situation," it stated.

"The protection of Philippine sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction remains a paramount consideration. The Philippine Government will continue to take appropriate actions consistent with international law and in defense of the country's national interests," it added. Robina Asido/PHS