2 'foreign' aircraft spotted over Pag-asa Island in West PHL Sea

Two aircraft, believed to be of foreign origin, were seen flying “at high speed” over a Filipino-inhabited island in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) last Thursday, a Philippine Navy official said Sunday. Citing reports from government troops in Palawan, Col. Edgard Arevalo said the aircraft were spotted flying in a southwest direction from the north over Pag-asa Island at 9:50 a.m. Thursday. “We can't really say [the country of origin], but most probably [foreign] because the spotting or the sighting was also reported by our Air Force and Coast Guard in the area. If they reported it, probably, those are not ours,” Arevalo said Sunday. He added that the aircraft may have committed a “violation of the Philippine space domain,” which may be grounds for a diplomatic protest. The Philippine government considers the Pag-asa Island as part of Kalayaan town in Palawan. It is inhabited by some 150 Filipinos and recently made headlines due to the controversial construction of a school building in the area. The island is part of the disputed Spratly Islands, a string of atolls and islands believed to be rich in oil and gas deposits being claimed in part by China, the Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei. — BM, GMA News