DFA hits ‘escalatory’ move; Beijing slams PH ‘ntrusion’
The Philippines will file a diplomatic protest against China’s “escalatory” actions involving “risky maneuvers” against Philippine aircraft in Bajo De Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal, the Department of Foreign Affairs said.
“Definitely we will protest,” DFA Secretary Enrique Manalo said. “The President has come out very strongly on this and we will maintain that position.”
“We are committed to try and settle disputes or whatever through diplomatic and peaceful means. I don’t know why they did it,” he said.
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. added: “We cannot let this slide…If we do so, we will be acquiescing.”
President Marcos earlier strongly condemned the hostile maneuvers executed by Chinese fighter planes against a light transport aircraft over Bajo de Masinloc in the West Philippine Sea, describing the action as “reckless and illegal.”
The President expressed his full backing for the Philippine Air Force which was conducting a routine maritime security operation when the aerial harassment occurred.
“The actions of the People’s Liberation Army – Air Force (PLAAF) aircraft were unjustified, illegal, and reckless, especially as the PAF aircraft was undertaking a routine maritime security operation in Philippine sovereign airspace…We have hardly started to calm the waters, and it is already worrying that there could be instability in our airspace,” the President said.
China’s People Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theater Command, for its part, accused the Philippines of “illegally intruding” Bajo De Masinloc, adding that it would “resolutely” defend its claims in the South China Sea.
“The Southern Theater Command of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army organized naval and air forces to conduct identification and verification, tracking and surveillance, warning and expulsion in accordance with the law. We urge the Philippines to immediately stop its infringement, provocation, distortion and hype,” it said.
Manalo, however, said China’s actions are not aligned with its commitment to de-escalate tensions in the region.
“China has always said it wanted to de-escalate, but every time something like this happens, certainly, it tends to raise tensions,” Manalo said.
The Philippines will convene its National Maritime Council following China’s air maneuvers.
“The National Maritime Council will consider these things. There 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.
“The monitoring of our country’s airspace will be intensified. Our strong, prepared and highly-motivated Armed Forces will continue to perform its mandate to protect our people and to secure the nation on land, air, sea, and cyberspace, proving time and again that it is a force for regional peace and stability,” the National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea said.
Speaker Martin Romualdez hit Beijing for the latest air harassment.
“This latest aggressive action of China does not promote peace and stability in the West Philippine Sea and in the region. It does not speak well of a country trying to be a world power and leader,” Romualdez said.
“They should not insist on this baseless claim. It is against the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to which both the Philippines and China are signatories. Bajo de Masinloc is 120 nautical miles from Luzon and is clearly within our EEZ, while it is 594 nautical miles from China’s Hainan Island,” he added.
Senator Risa Hontiveros said it was time for China to be held accountable for its belligerence.
“It’s too much,” Hontiveros said.
“We should not wait for China to escalate her provocations further before we raise these grave concerns to an international body. Not only is China keeping our waters hostage, she has also started to encroach on our skies,” she added.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline DFA to file diplomatic protest vs China ‘escalatory’ actions in Bajo De Masinloc
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