Department of National Defense (DND) Sec. Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said on Monday, Aug. 12, that he expects China’s harassment of aerial patrols by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) to be a “continuous pattern”.

The National Maritime Council (NMC) will convene this week to discuss the national government’s response to the conduct of dangerous maneuvers and dropping of flares by two People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) aircraft against a Philippine Air Force (PAF) NC-212i propeller aircraft during a routine maritime patrol over Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough or Panatag Shoal) last Aug. 8.

“The National Maritime Council will consider these things but we have to expect na ito’y continuous pattern na gagawin ng China laban sa atin (that this is a continuous pattern that China will do against us). Ito’y continuous na (This is a continuous) struggle for presence and for assertion of sovereign rights in the area so you will have to expect these things to happen,” Teodoro said on the sidelines of the commemoration of the 2024 International Humanitarian Law (IHL) Day and 75th Geneva Conventions anniversary in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

He said the national government cannot afford to do nothing, even if it means that another diplomatic protest should be filed against China, lest the public sees this as the administration’s acquiescence to China.

The defense chief added that the latest incursion by China in the airspace of the Philippines can be considered a violation of the Filipino people’s rights.

“Yes, of course it is a violation of the rights of the Filipino fisherfolk to earn a livelihood. It’s a violation of the future generation of Filipinos to the sovereign right under the exclusive economic zone, and perhaps the extended continental shelf,” he noted.

Read: China takes territorial row with PH from sea to airspace

The incident, however, no longer came as a surprise for Teodoro as he said that it shows a “consistent pattern and behavior” on the part of the Asian superpower.

“I do not think it is alarming. It is a response that we should be acclimated to,” he said.

“They will stick to their narrative na alam nating (that we know) there is no international support whatsoever. All they have on their side is brute force and strength and might, and that’s what they’re gonna do,” he continued.

Teodoro hopes that China “will listen to reason” and heed the appeals of not only the Philippines but other countries “to temper their moves and act in accordance with international law.”

The latest aggression occurred in just over a month after Manila and Beijing agreed to deescalate the tension in the WPS during the conduct of a bilateral consultative mechanism (BCM) meeting last July 2.

‘Surprised’

Foreign Affairs Sec. Enrique Manalo, who graced the ceremony at Camp Aguinaldo, said that the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) was “surprised” by what China did considering that there appeared to be an understanding on the diplomatic agencies of Manila and Beijing to ease the tension in the disputed waters.

“I don’t know why they did it. It took us by surprise,” he said.

“China has always said it wanted to deescalate but everytime of course na may nangyayaring ganito (that something like this happens), certainly it tends to raise tensions so it’s something that we have to pay close attention to,” he added.

‘Don’t be afraid’

Meanwhile, AFP Chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. advised the PAF pilots “not to be afraid” in the face of “very dangerous, illegal, and provocative” actions by China on air.

The AFP has been patrolling the country’s maritime and sovereign territory for the past three decades since the United States left their military bases in the country.

“Nagbilin po tayo sa ating mga piloto na huwag matakot at itutuloy po natin ang ginagawa nating maritime patrol in the area because that is our right (We advised our pilots not to be afraid and to continue doing our maritime patrol in the area because that is our right),” he said.