From overlapping maritime claims in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), China has taken its territorial dispute with the Philippines in the airspace.
General Romeo Brawner Jr., Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), strongly condemned the “dangerous and provocative actions” of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) after two of its aircraft executed a “dangerous maneuver” and dropped flares in the path of a Philippine Air Force (PAF) NC-212i propeller aircraft during a routine maritime patrol over Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough or Panatag Shoal).
The incident occurred around 9 a.m. last Aug. 8, and was reported by the AFP on Saturday night, Aug. 10.
Bajo de Masinloc, located 120 nautical miles west of mainland Luzon and within the country’s 200 nm exclusive economic zone (EEZ), is a traditional fishing ground of Filipino fishermen that has been the site of numerous tense confrontations between Philippines and Chinese vessels over the past years.
But last Thursday, the confrontation happened in the air.
According to the AFP, the PAF’s NC-212i was carrying a pilot, co-pilot and crew while surveying Bajo de Masinloc when it was harassed by the two Chinese multirole fighter aircraft.
The Chinese aircraft then dropped flares which emitted heat and light to confuse the PAF aircraft. Flares are often used by aircraft to counter an infrared homing or "heat-seeking" surface-to-air missile or air-to-air missile.
Brawner said that the actions of the Chinese aircraft “endangered the lives of our personnel undertaking maritime security operations recently within Philippine maritime zones.”
“The incident posed a threat to Philippine Air Force aircraft and its crew, interfered with lawful flight operations in airspace within Philippine sovereignty and jurisdiction, and contravened international law and regulations governing safety of aviation,” the military chief said.
Despite the incident, the PAF pilots and crew returned safely and unharmed to Clark Air Base in Pampanga an hour later.
AFP spokesperson Col. Frances Margareth Padilla said that the military has reported the incident to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) for the possible filing of a diplomatic protest.
She also reaffirmed the AFP’s commitment to continue exercising the Philippines’ rights in accordance with international law, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and the 1944 Chicago Convention which laid the foundation for the standards and procedures for peaceful global air navigation and governs the freedom of overflight.
“Despite the harassment by the PLA and their attempt to intimidate our maritime patrol, our pilots will continue to make the skies [safe] as they did. They will take to the skies and show that our airspace and our seas have no room for bullying,” Padilla concluded.