The Philippines will continue its maritime and aerial patrols in the West Philippine Sea despite a new incident involving a Chinese fighter jet performing “dangerous maneuvering” against a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) aircraft, Malacañang said Thursday, Aug. 14.

Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said President Marcos had been informed of the incident, which occurred during a PCG maritime domain awareness flight just days after a collision between two Chinese vessels near Scarborough Shoal.

Citing PCG spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela, the Palace Press Officer said the monitoring flight also spotted two United States Navy warships approximately 102 nautical miles off Zambales.

She stressed that the vessels’ presence was “in accordance with international law.”

“Kung ano man po ang mangyayari dito, ang sabi nga din ng Pangulo, ang administrasyon, ang gobyerno ay hindi nagpo-provoke ng anuman (Whatever happens here, as the President has said, the administration and the government are not provoking anything),” she said.

“Dumi-depensa lamang tayo at pinapatuloy lamang ang pagprotekta at paglaban para sa ating teritoryo at sovereign rights (We are merely defending ourselves and continuing to protect and fight for our territory and sovereign rights),” she added.

Castro also rejected the narrative of China’s state-run Global Times, which accused the Marcos administration of using maritime incidents to “divert domestic tensions” and “cement its legal claims” in the South China Sea. The Chinese outlet further warned of “more targeted countermeasures” if the Philippines persists in its provocation.

“‘Yan po ang kanilang naratibo. Pero muli, uulitin ko lamang ang sabi ng Pangulo, tayo ay hindi aatras sa laban (That is their narrative. But again, I will repeat what the President has said: we will not back down from the fight),” she said.

“We are not waging any war against any country. Tayo ay dumidepensa lamang para sa ating karapatan (We are merely defending our rights),” she added.

Castro underscored that the Philippines’ position is backed by the 2016 arbitral ruling, which invalidated China’s sweeping claims over much of the South China Sea and affirmed the country’s rights within its exclusive economic zone.

She said President Marcos has issued no new instructions to de-escalate tensions, instead maintaining the current policy of sustained patrols and protection for Filipino fishermen.

“Wala pong ibang instruction ang Pangulo kung hindi magtuloy-tuloy lamang po ang pagprotekta sa ating karapatan at sa ating teritoryo (The President has given no other instruction except to continue protecting our rights and our territory),” Castro said.

The West Philippine Sea, a portion of the South China Sea claimed by the Philippines, has seen repeated confrontations in recent years, with Chinese coast guard and militia vessels often shadowing or blocking Philippine patrols and resupply missions.

Manila has repeatedly asserted its rights under international law, with Marcos vowing earlier this year that the country “will not yield even an inch” of its territory.