What was supposed to be a routine maritime domain awareness (MDA) flight turned into a high-stakes encounter when a Chinese military aircraft and warship challenged a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) patrol plane at Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough or Panatag Shoal) in the West Philippine Sea on Wednesday, March 18.

PCG spokesperson for WPS Rear Adm. Jay Tarriela said the coast guard conducted an MDA flight over Bajo de Masinloc after receiving reports from Filipino fishermen that they were allegedly harassed by China Coast Guard (CCG) and Chinese maritime militia units on March 17.

During the MDA flight, the PCG monitored five CCG vessels, three People’s Liberation Army-Navy (PLA-N) warships, and two maritime militia boats in the area.

What surprised the PCG was that the patrol plane conducting MDA flight was directly challenged by the PLA-Air Force for the first time, as well as a PLA-Navy warship.

“For the first time, a People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) asset challenged a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) aircraft over Bajo de Masinloc,” Tarriela said.

“The aircraft further documented the PCG and BFAR surface vessels currently en route to respond to the ongoing Chinese aggression,” he added.

In response, the PCG insisted that the routine MDA flight was in accordance with the Philippine law, and the presence of Chinese forces in the Philippine waters was “illegal”.

The BRP Cape San Agustin and BRP Cabra were deployed by the PCG while the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) sent eight boats to Bajo de Masinloc to keep the Filipino fishermen safe amid the reported Chinese harassment.

The PCG said that several fishermen documented incidents of dangerous maneuvers by CCG vessels with bow numbers “21605”, “3107”, and “3103” as well as maritime militia boats when they attempted to come closer to the shoal to get fish.

The Chinese vessels also repeatedly used sirens and launched rigid hull inflatable boats (RHIBs) to drive away the fishermen from their traditional fishing grounds.

Furthermore, the Chinese forces also maintained a floating buoy in the middle of the shoal to mark Chinese territory and intimidate the fishermen, Tarriela said.

Bajo de Masinloc continues to be a flashpoint in the WPS as tensions rise between Filipino fishermen and Chinese maritime forces. The shoal is located 12 nautical miles off Masinloc, Zambales, which is well within the country’s 100 nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ), but China continues to claim the area as part of its internal waters.

A 2016 arbitral ruling already invalidated China’s claims bbut Beijing ignores the decision.

“Despite the challenges posed by China’s numerous larger vessels, the dedicated men and women of the PCG stand resolute in their mission to safeguard our sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction in the West Philippine Sea peacefully in accordance with national and international law including the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, UNCLOS and the 2016 Arbitral Award,” Tarriela noted.