MANILA, Philippines—The military’s Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom) on Monday (Dec. 7) dismissed as likely “fake news” reports about Chinese vessels loading black sand in Aparri, Cagayan province.
Maj. Marco Antonio Magisa, Nolcom spokesperson, said based on military reports, “no Chinese boat engaged in black sand mining” was seen in the areas mentioned in a tweet about the military being busy with “arresting mother activists with their babies” but turning its back on Chinese vessels docked in Aparri to load black sand, a key ingredient in making steel.
Magisa said Nolcom believes “that such is a fake news maliciously designed to serve as propaganda against Nolcom.”
A tweet from a certain @JoeyLedesma10 said the people of Aparri were “alarmed over the large number of Chinese boats docking there to pick up black sand while @TeamAFP focuses their strength on arresting mother activists with their babies.”
The Twitter handle @TeamAFP is the official account of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
The tweet was likely referring to Amanda Lacaba Echanis, daughter of slain activist Randy Echanis, who was arrested with her 1-month old son last Wednesday (Dec. 2) in Baggao, Cagayan.
“All confirmed reports of territorial incursions are being actively addressed through overt measures such as aerial challenges until concerned foreign vessels or aircraft leave Philippine waters or airspace,” Magisa said.
He said the “mother” mentioned in the tweet, referring to Echanis, was a “confirmed” communist rebel “who was apprehended by virtue of a warrant duly issued by a judge of our country’s court of law.”