A Philippine Navy (PN) frigate conducted a routine patrol operation in Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough or Panatag Shoal) in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), prompting China to deploy naval and aerial forces.
BRP Conrado Yap (PS-39) operated in the atoll located within the 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Philippines but being controlled by China on Oct. 30, the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) confirmed.
"PS39 conducted routine patrol operations in the general vicinity of Bajo de Masinloc without any untoward incident," NTF-WPS Chairman and National Security Adviser (NSA) Eduardo Año said on Tuesday, Oct. 31.
Año said the patrol made by BRP Conrado Yap was a legitimate operation as the Philippines "has every right to patrol the length and breadth of the West Philippine Sea which necessarily includes Bajo de Masinloc which is well within the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)."
However, Air Force Senior Colonel Tian Junli, spokesperson for the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy Southern Theater Command, said the frigate "trespassed" into the waters adjacent to Huangyan Dao, a name they call Bajo de Masinloc.
The official said naval and air forces of the Chinese PLA Southern Theater Command "tracked, monitored, warned, and restricted" the frigate -- a claim denied by the NTF-WPS.
"It did not illegally enter any space under Chinese sovereignty because Bajo de Masinloc is part of the PH archipelago and EEZ. Chinese vessels, as usual, conducted shadowing on the movement of PS39," Año stated.
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Col. Medel Aguilar also denied that Chinese forces were able to restrict BRP Conrado Yap as he said the frigate successfully completed its patrol operation despite China's shadowing.
For his part, Año said China was "overhyping" the incident and "creating unnecessary tensions" between the two countries.
He urged China to "act responsibly," respect international law and the 2016 arbitral ruling which invalidated Beijing's massive claims in the South China Sea, and stop their "aggressive and illegal actions in PH waters."
The incident was the latest in a string of tense contacts between Philippine and Chinese vessels in the WPS.
Last Oct. 22, Filipino and Chinese vessels collied in Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal also in WPS during a resupply missions.