MANILA – Muntinlupa Rep. Rodolfo Biazon insisted that the US Navy drone found in Quezon province on Sunday must remain in the Philippines.

Biazon, chairman of the House Committee on National Defense and Security, said the Philippines must make sure that the drone was not being used by the United States for surveillance purposes.

Biazon, a former military man, said the drone must be brought to Camp Aguinaldo where it will be subjected to an investigation which will determine whether it was used for surveillance or was just a mere target drone, as earlier claimed by the US Embassy in Manila.

In a statement on Tuesday, the US Embassy said the drone, found off the coast of Patnanungan Islet, is an expended BQM-74E Aerial Target that was launched during naval exercise Valiant Shield 2014 which took place from September 15 to 23 in the waters off Guam.

The embassy explained that the BQM-74E Aerial Target is used by surface ships and aircraft during exercises to help train US sailors.

It maintained that during the exercise, all aerial operations were conducted in international airspace or with appropriate coordination and approval in Guam airspace.

Communications Secretary Sonny Coloma already said the Department of National Defense (DND) was "making its own inquiry" on the matter.

Meanwhile, Rep. Carlos Zarate of the leftist political party Bayan Muna, said the drone ''is yet another proof of the US disregard of Philippine sovereignty."

''Truth is, the US government, in the pursuit of its own self-serving interest does not respect nor take into consideration the interest of other nations, allies or not, the Philippines included," Zarate said.



"This should have been clear by now to the Aquino government, which is acting more like a lackey of the US, like in the manner it surrendered our sovereignty during the negotiations for the patently unconstitutional Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA). Congress should investigate this incident, as well as similar other such incidents in the past." – report from Jon Ibañez, dzMM