AFP: China’s harassment won’t deter PH maritime air patrols

Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal). (File Photo By NASA/Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain)

By Priam Nepomuceno, Philippine News Agency

MANILA – The Philippines’ air patrols will continue to safeguard its vast maritime territories amid China’s latest harassment against a Filipino aircraft conducting patrols over Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal).

In a radio interview Sunday, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla also called this act of China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) a contravention of international law and regulations on aviation safety.

“Muli po naming pinagtitibay ang ating determinasyon na magsasagawa pa rin kami ng regular surveillance operation (We are committed and determined in carrying our regular surveillance operation),” Padilla said.

The AFP on Saturday made public China’s latest aggression and condemned the PLAAF’s actions that endangered Philippine Air Force (PAF) aircraft and personnel going about their lawful duties.

“On 8 August 2024, a PAF NC-212i aircraft was conducting a routine maritime patrol over Bajo de Masinloc when two aircraft from the PLAAF executed a dangerous maneuver at around 9 a.m. and dropped flares in the path of our NC-212i,” AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said in a statement.

Brawner said the incident interfered with lawful flight operations in airspace within Philippine sovereignty and jurisdiction.

“The pilots and crew of the NC-212i safely returned to Clark Air Base at 10 a.

m. All personnel on board were unharmed,” Brawner said.

He added the AFP had reported the incident to the Department of Foreign Affairs and relevant government agencies.

“We reaffirm our commitment to exercise our rights in accordance with international law, particularly UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) and the Chicago Convention,” the AFP chief added.