The Philippine government said Wednesday night it is verifying reports of a new structure being built in Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal, a major flashpoint in the South China Sea, according to BusinessWorld .
A task force is conducting verification activities to assess the situation. The shoal has been a flashpoint between Manila and Beijing, with China asserting its claims and the Philippines insisting on its sovereign rights under international law.
"The Philippine government takes seriously any development that may affect the country's sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction in the West Philippine Sea," the task force said in a statement.