PASIG CITY, (PIA) -- Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana today refuted the reported dumping of human waste in the West Philippine Sea and said it is "not true" and intended "to mislead" the public.

"We have taken note of the news circulating online about the alleged dumping of wastes in the South China Sea. However, the photo of a ship seen dumping waste accompanying the report was found to have been taken in the Australian Great Barrier Reef in 2014," Lorenzana told the PIA-NCR in a statement.

"Therefore, this intent to mislead has cast great doubt on the accurateness of the Simularity Report," he added.

Simularity, a geospatial intelligence firm, earlier reported that raw sewage from hundreds of ships were being dumped on reefs leading to concentration of unwanted and harmful algae in the Spratly Islands.

It said wastewater is being disposed of in the Spratly and Paracel Islands, based on satellite images taken by the European Space Agency.

Lorenzana said they also question the conclusion reached by Simularity from just looking at satellite photos.

"Be that as it may I have directed the Western Command who has jurisdiction over the WPS to verify and investigate," he said.

"While we are confirming and verifying these wastes being dumped in the WPS, we consider such irresponsible acts, if true, to be gravely detrimental to the marine ecology in the area," he added.

Despite conflicting claims and interests by states in the South China Sea, Lorenzana said all nations must be responsible stewards of our natural resources and environment. (PIA-NCR)