FACT-CHECK: No conflict occurred in the WPS involving the U.S. and Australia

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CLAIM: A conflict occurred in the West Philippine Sea involving the U.S. and Australia.

 

RATING: FALSE

 

A YouTube video posted by channel “Sangkay JanJan” falsely claimed that a military encounter had occurred in the West Philippine Sea involving Australia and the United States.

Flagged content: The YouTube video uploaded on Feb. 18 was titled “AMERIKA AT AUSTRALIA LUMUSOB NA SA WPS! GRABE ANG NANGYARI!” and carried a thumbnail falsely alleging that an incident had occurred in the West Philippine Sea involving the two countries.  

  • The thumbnail carried a picture of a group of soldiers submerged in water, with text that read, “AYAN NA! MGA SUNDALO NG US AT AUSTRALIA NASA WPS!” (“There they are! US and Australian Soldiers in the WPS!”) followed by a text above it that says “MALAKING GULO NA BA TO?” (“Will this be a huge conflict?”)

Our debunk: As of writing, no conflict has been reported involving the U.S. and Australia in the West Philippine Sea.

  • The image in the background was taken on Oct. 2, 2014 by Sgt. Anthony Kirby in Ozamis, Palawan during a joint amphibious landing exercise by U.S. and Philippine Marines.

Rewind: The video was posted amid rising tensions between the Philippines and China surrounding maritime disputes in the West Philippine Sea.

  • The video was posted a day after the Philippines, U.S., and Australia concluded its 14th Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity (MMCA) in the West Philippine Sea on Feb. 17, 2026.

Why we fact-checked this: As of writing, the video has drawn over 40,000 views and 2,000 likes.

  • The YouTube channel, which is operated by John Anthony Jaboya and has over 1.6 million subscribers, has repeatedly uploaded content debunked by various fact-checking organizations.
  • In 2025, PressOne.PH fact-checked a false claim made by Jaboya that the national debt amounting P13-trillion was solely incurred under the Duterte administration.

Spot the fake: Stay vigilant against suspicious and inflammatory posts.

  • Remain cautious against social media pages that are known to spread false information.
  • News pertaining to conflicts typically draw coverage from reputable media organizations.
  • Check with official websites and reputable news outlets to confirm the facts. Khloe Lim


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