Manila, April 15 -- Three of the five submersible drones recovered in Philippine waters from 2022 to 2024 could have been deployed by China, a ranking Philippine Navy (PN) official said on Tuesday.

National Security Council Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya likewise said forensic examination conclusively determine that they are of Chinese origin.

In a press briefing Tuesday, PN spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said there is a "55 to 80 percent likelihood" that the undersea platforms were deployed by China.

"There is a 55 to 80 percent likelihood that these were deployed by the Chinese Communist Party. Why 55 to 80 percent is because of the components inside. Not all of them have markin...