The National Security Council (NSC) accused China of violating safety aviation rules when one of its military choppers shadowed a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) while on a patrol mission in Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough or Panatag Shoal) in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

In a statement Wednesday, Sept. 25, NSC spokesperson Asst. Director General Jonathan Malaya bared the details of the shadowing incident involving BFAR aircraft RP-1077, a Cessna C208B Grand Caravan EX, and a People’s Liberation Army – Navy (PLA-N) helicopter with tail number “65”.

According to Malaya, the BFAR plane was conducting an aerial patrol in the vicinity of Bajo de Masinloc last Sept. 23 when the PLA-N suddenly approached it.

The incident prompted the BFAR aircraft to establish radio control and urge the Chinese aircraft to maintain a safe flying distance since it was dangerously close.

“Instead of doing so, the PLAN chopper 65 reapproached at a close distance of about 50 meters,” Malaya said.

He added that the Chinese aircraft also did not respond to the raid call of the BFAR plane.

The BFAR aircraft launched a second patrol later that day and the same Chinese helicopter shadowed it “at a relatively farther distance and altitude separation but still in violation of safety regulations of the Federal Aviation Administration,” Malaya noted.

“Nonetheless, the BFAR continued with and completed its mission of patrolling our maritime zones pursuant to its mandate of conducting surveillance of fishing activities in [Philippine] waters and the enforcement of all laws and rules and regulations in the management and conservation of Philippine fishery resources,” he said.

The Philippine Navy (PN) earlier called out China and described the tailing incident as an “unsafe maneuver,” “uncalled for”, and “unprofessional.”

“[A]ctions like this have no place in the aviation industry,” said PN spokesperson for WPS Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad.