A YouTube video claims that the Philippine Navy received two of the British Royal Navy’s warships in a handover ceremony. This is not true.
Uploaded on Feb. 10, the eight-minute and seven-second video bore the headline:
“A New Horizon: Pagkuha ng Philippine Navy ng HMS Westminster F237 at HMS Argyll F231 (The Philippine Navy’s receipt of HMS Westminster F237 and HMS Argyll).”
Its thumbnail featured HMS Westminster sailing and carrying a Philippine flag. This photo was digitally manipulated. There was no flag flying in the earlier copy of the photo published by the website Defesa Aérea & Naval on Nov. 27, 2013.
The video also used an automated narrator to report on the supposed handover ceremony attended by the two countries’ high-ranking officials. It further claimed that the battleships were used in a recent standoff in Palawan.
HMS Westminster and HMS Argyll are still operated and under the flagship of the British Royal Navy. There are no reports of the Philippine Navy purchasing or receiving them.
The Royal Navy’s website still lists the two Type 23 frigates as part of its units and squadron.
Last January, the British newspaper Telegraph reported that HMS Westminster and HMS Argyll would be decommissioned this 2024 due to a shortage of sailors who could operate them.
There are no updates from the Philippine Navy on its official website and social media pages (here, here, here and here) supporting the video’s claims.
The video was uploaded more than three weeks after the Philippines and the United Kingdom signed a Memorandum of Understanding seeking to strengthen their bilateral cooperation in the defense field.
UK Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to the Philippines Richard Graham recently made a courtesy call on Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro where they discussed possible collaboration in defense and investment.
The Royal Navy’s River-class offshore patrol vessel HMS Spey also recently visited Manila for defense engagements.
The video by YouTube channel TECH-89M (created on Nov. 13, 2019) has garnered 11,217 views as of writing. This YouTube channel is notorious for spreading military-related disinformation and has previously made similar claims about the Royal Navy giving a ship to the Philippines. (Read The British Royal Navy is NOT gifting a warship to the PH)
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