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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 'Hindi na nakuntento': Senators slam China's bullying on Philippine airspace

'Hindi na nakuntento': Senators slam China's bullying on Philippine airspace

Published Feb 19, 2025 07:59 am

Senate deputy minority leader Senator Risa Hontiveros on Wednesday, February 19, slammed China’s Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) for applying its bullying tactics even on the country’s own airspace.

“Hindi na nakuntento ang Tsina sa pambubully sa karagatan, pati sa himpapawid nambabanta narin (China is no longer content with carrying out its bullying in the seas, it is taking the threats in the air as well)!” Hontiveros said in a statement.

The senator made the remark in light of the dangerous maneuver by a PLA Navy helicopter, a Chinese military chopper, near a Philippine aircraft over Bajo de Masinloc.

US Ambassador to the Philippines Mary Kay Carlson has also expressed indignation over the act, and called on China to “refrain from coercive actions and settle its disputes peacefully in accordance with international law.”

Hontiveros said she agrees with the US ambassador’s call saying Philippine patrol planes have the right of overflight especially within the country’s own exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

“This is in full accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Tayo ang may karapatan, hindi ang Tsina (We are the ones who have the right, not China),” she stressed.

Moreover, Hontiveros stressed that even the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) regulations also clearly stipulate that no state aircraft is allowed to fly over a territory of another state without prior authorization.

“Atin ang Scarborough Shoal, kaya tayo ang nasa tama (The Scarborough Shoal is ours, that’s why we are in the right),” she said.

“Just as China violates the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea in our waters, she also violated ICAO safety standards in our skies,” the senator stressed.

Hontiveros observed China is provoking trouble by routinely disrespecting international law, despite being a signatory to UNCLOS and a contracting member of the ICAO.

“And yet she shamelessly ignores these international norms. Tahasang nanggugulo talaga ang Tsina (China really wants to create chaos),” she said.

“I call on our partners in the international community, especially our neighbors in the Indo-Pacific, to join the Philippines in pushing back. Our region cannot achieve genuine peace if China continues her aggression,” she stressed.

Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada also criticized the reckless maneuvers carried out by China’s PLA Navy.

“Our government should assert, in no uncertain terms, that this latest dangerous and reckless maneuvers carried out by China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy helicopter against a light aircraft of the BFAR is a clear violation of international aviation safety protocols,” Estrada said in a separate statement.

The Marcos government, he said, should file a diplomatic protest over this recent action of China.

“It is, without a doubt, an affront to our nation’s sovereignty. We should waste no time in filing a diplomatic protest to assert out rights and demand accountability from China for this latest provocation,” the senator said.

According to Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela, the aircraft of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) was holding a maritime domain awareness flight around 7 a.m. on Tuesday, when the incident happened.

PCG personnel and photojournalists were onboard when a PLAN helicopter with tail number 68 approached at 8:39 a.m., coming as close as three meters to the BFAR aircraft’s port side and above it.

Related Tags

philippine airspace China Coast Guard Peoples Liberation Army of China Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) West Philippine Sea BFAR Risa Hontiveros
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