MANILA – The Philippines is preparing to lodge a formal diplomatic protest regarding the “dangerous” actions of a Chinese Navy helicopter that approached within three meters of a surveillance flight over Bajo de Masinloc in the West Philippine Sea.
Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Commodore Jay Tarriela said the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) helicopter came close to a Cessna plane operated by the Philippine fisheries bureau, which was transporting a group of journalists.
“This is a very dangerous flight maneuver. They came as close as three meters, basically 10 feet ang layo nitong helicopter doon sa wing ng eroplano,” Tarriela said in an interview with TeleRadyo Serbisyo on Wednesday.
“You can just imaging yung propeller wash niya, itinutulak niya pababa yung kaliwang bahagi ng eroplano noong pumunta siya sa ibabaw nito,” he added. “We will keep on filing diplomatic protests over the incident.”
“This is the right thing to do. This is a diplomatic procedure to tell China that we don’t agree sa ginagawa nilang escalatory action na ito and dangerous action that endangers the safety of our BFAR (Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources) crew and coast guard personnel,” he further said.
Tarriela expressed the view that China is employing a “calibrated approach” in these encounters, while also emphasizing President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s statement that the mutual defense treaty with the United States could be activated in the event of a fatality.
Tian Junli, spokesperson for China’s Southern Theater Command and a senior colonel in the Air Force, asserted that the Philippine aircraft had “illegally intruded into Chinese airspace over Huangyan Island,” referring to the shoal by its Chinese name.
China asserts its claim over nearly the entire South China Sea, including portions of the West Philippine Sea, despite an international ruling in 2016 that determined this claim lacks legal foundation.
In the same interview, Tarriela said that he is now in good terms with SAGIP party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta, who previously remarked that “there is nothing as West Philippine Sea” on maps.
“Para sa akin, the mere fact that Congressman Marcoleta is saying that this part of our waters is something that is really worth fighting [for] up to the last drop of our blood, kinikilala niyang atin ito without really calling it [West Philippine Sea]… Okay na rin ‘yun,” Tarriela said.
“At least nire-recognize niyang that is our exclusive economic zone,” he added. “It is very important for us [Filipinos] to be united in this issue. Otherwise, it would be very difficult for President Bongbong Marcos to push for this commitment na hindi talaga isusuko ang West Philippine Sea.”/PN
