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Questions surrounding the drone: Majority Leader Francis “Tol” Tolentino presides over the Special Committee on Philippine Maritime and Admiralty Zones hearing on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, on the discovery last December 30 of a submersible drone off the coast of Brgy. Inawaran, San Pascual, Masbate. According to authorities, the yellow drone, marked “HY-119” and suspected to be of Chinese origin, is used to communicate with satellites and other surface units. The device is capable of transmitting and receiving data and voice messages. “We are conducting this hearing to determine the circumstances surrounding the sighting of H-Y drone number 119... let us determine if there has been any violation of existing maritime and international laws regarding the sighting of a drone, or if it has been authorized by a government agency, or if it has any impact on our national security,” Tolentino said in his opening statement. The senator was informed that the yellow drone could be a Chinese-made “Sea Wing” glider, an underwater vehicle developed by Chinese Institution of Oceanology to augment the submarine fleet of China. Some of the uses of the device, he said, include underwater surveillance, oceanographic research and naval operations. It can also be used as an anti-detection device. The majority leader outlined a series of questions that need answers during the hearing. “Is this drone a sovereign property? Should this drone be returned? Is this drone a warship that should be given sovereign recognition by another state, a coastal state here in the Philippines? Is this drone an autonomous vessel? Is this drone part of a research mission that originated from a mother ship? Is this drone part of another country's intrusion into our waters? Espionage? Does this drone need a change in our laws to cover the vastness of our ocean? Should this drone raise an alarm for our fishermen, so that if they see one, they should catch it with a net and just inform the Philippine Coast Guard and Philippine Navy? Is this drone part of our daily activities at sea... that we can just ignore?” he asked in Filipino. (Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau)