Carpio warns Chinese ships near reef may lead to occupation

Retired Supreme Court justice Antonio Carpio warned on Wednesday that the presence of hundreds of Chinese vessels near Julian Felipe Reef in the West Philippine Sea could be a prelude to China occupying the reef, similar to what happened at Mischief Reef in 1995.

Carpio expressed concern over China's strategy of deploying maritime militia ships to assert control over disputed areas and build naval bases, as seen with Mischief Reef which is now referred to by China as its 'Pearl Harbor'.

He noted that this was not the first time such a situation has occurred, with similar incidents happening last year at Julian Felipe Reef.