THE government will intensify the monitoring of the country’s airspace following the “irresponsible, unprofessional, illegal and dangerous acts” of Chinese fighter jets that harassed a Philippine Air Force (PAF) patrol aircraft on August 8 in the skies near Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal) in the West Philippine Sea.
The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) said on Monday that air and maritime security patrol missions will continue within the country’s sovereign territory, airspace, and exclusive economic zone.
“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 NTF-WPS said.
Citing official reports, the task force said on August 8 at around 9 a.m, without any provocation or justifiable cause, two People’s Liberation Army Air Force (Plaaf) jets conducted dangerous maneuvers in close proximity to a PAF aircraft conducting a routine patrol mission.
The NTF-WPS further said the Plaaf planes deliberately deployed flares in the path of the PAF aircraft, risking the safety of its Filipino crew.
Defense and military officials agreed that the Philippines must brace for China’s increasingly aggressive actions as it asserts its presence in the West Philippine Sea.
“It will be a continuous struggle for presence and for assertion of sovereign rights in the area so you will have to expect these things to happen,” Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said in a media interview.
Teodoro said the National Maritime Council is now looking into the incident.
He said Manila will continue to protest Beijing’s aggressive actions.
Teodoro said having patrol planes escorted by FA-50PH aircraft, the sole fighter plane in the Air Force inventory, needs to be discussed.
He also called China’s latest harassment a part of its “consistent behavior.”
In a separate interview, Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. also called the acts of the Chinese aircraft “very dangerous.”
Brawner also reminded all military pilots not to be intimidated by these actions and to continue with their maritime patrols.
“Like what Secretary Teodoro said, we will see more of this occurrence in the future so we will continue with our patrolling,” he added.
Filipino military pilots are also advised to conduct evasive maneuvers, per their standard operating procedure, whenever encountering foreign aircraft conducting dangerous maneuvers.
On July 21, the Philippines and China entered into a deal aimed at easing tensions in the disputed South China Sea territories.
The agreement resulted in a successful rotation and resupply mission conducted by the Philippine government to BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal on July 27.
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