Philippine defense and military officials are still verifying reports that China has installed weapons system on the seven artificial islands it has built in the disputed South China Sea.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the issue, if true, is a matter of concern not just for the Philippines but other countries, as well.

“We are verifying. But if true, it is a big concern for us and the international community who use the South China Sea lanes for trade,” Lorenzana said in a message to reporters.

He added: “It would mean that the Chinese are militarizing the area which is not good.”

Asked on the matter, a military official, who refused to be named, said they cannot comment yet as they are still validating the information.

But China officials insisted that the deployment of military equipment on Spratlys is “legitimate.”

Earlier, the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) at the Center for Strategic and International Studies said that it had been tracking the construction of hexagonal structures on Fiery Cross, Mischief and Subi reefs in the Spratly Islands since June and July.

It said China has already built military length airstrips on these islands.

It added that the “structures are an evolution of are an evolution of point-defense fortifications already constructed at China’s smaller facilities on Gaven, Hughes, Johnson, and Cuarteron reefs.”

“This model has gone through another evolution at (the) much-larger bases on Fiery Cross, Subi and Mischief reefs,” it further said.

The Philippines and China are both claiming jurisdiction over Fiery Cross or Kagitingan Reef, Mischief or Panganiban Reef, and Subi or Zamora Reef.

Fiery Cross is part of a group of islands facing the South China Sea, called the Kalayaan Island Group.

– See more at: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/592604/news/nation/phl-officials-still-verifying-report-on-china-s-weapons-system-in-south-china-sea#sthash.Zxs46hoJ.dpuf