菲军事官员在较早时接受记者访谈时说，马国企图占据这个礁滩的行动是发生在8月，或者在菲律宾于11月发现中国海军在美济礁从事活动之前的几个月。

• Philippine military officials said in an earlier press interview that Malaysia's attempted to occupy the reef took place in August, or a few months before the Philippine Navy was aware of the Chinese Naval activities in the Meiji Reef in November.