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Marcos slams China air force's 'illegal, reckless' acts in Scarborough Shoal
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Sunday condemned the recent dangerous acts of China's air force at Scarborough Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc, which put the lives of Philippine Air Force (PAF) personnel at risk.
In a statement, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) called the actions of the People’s Liberation Army - Air Force (PLAAF) last Thursday, August 8, as “unjustified, illegal and reckless.”
“The President strongly condemns the air incident in Bajo de Masinloc earlier this week, and stands by our brave men and women of the AFP, especially the Philippine Air Force,” the PCO said.
“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,” it added.
Expressing concern about possible “instability” in the Philippines’ airspace, the Palace thus urged China to show responsible actions both in the seas and skies.
“We have hardly started to calm the waters, and it is already worrying that there could be instability in our airspace,” the PCO said.
“The Philippines will always remain committed to proper diplomacy and peaceful means of resolving disputes. However, we strongly urge China to demonstrate that it is fully capable of responsible action, both in the seas and in the skies.”
According to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Saturday, two PLAAF aircraft executed dangerous maneuvers and dropped flares in the path of an NC-212i PAF propeller aircraft conducting a routine maritime patrol over Scarborough Shoal around 9 a.m. on Thursday.
Even if no PAF personnel were harmed in the incident, AFP chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. stressed that it "endangered the lives of our personnel undertaking maritime security operations recently within Philippine maritime zones.”
He also said the Chinese aircraft interfered with lawful flight operations and violated international law on aviation safety.
The AFP said Sunday it will continue its patrol and surveillance operations in Scarborough Shoal, following the “dangerous and provocative” incident.
The AFP said it had already reported the incident to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and relevant government agencies.
GMA News Online sought the comment of the Chinese Embassy regarding the matter, and will update this story once it responds.
On Wednesday, China's Southern Theater Command said it conducted "a joint combat patrol in the sea and air space" near Scarborough Shoal.
The maneuvers tested "the reconnaissance and early warning, rapid mobility, and joint strike capabilities of theater troops," Beijing said, according to a report by Agence France-Presse.
The Scarborough Shoal, a triangular coral reef formation which surrounds a lagoon, is famed for its rich waters and marine resources. It is located 124 nautical miles off Masinloc, Zambales, and is considered within the Philippines’ 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone, based on the 1982 UNCLOS.
In 2016, the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) deemed Scarborough Shoal a high-tide feature, meaning a number of its rocks remained exposed at high tide.
Despite this, the tribunal found that the high-tide features at the shoal “are rocks that cannot sustain human habitation or economic life of their own” and therefore shall have no exclusive economic zone or continental shelf.
China, which does not recognize the ruling, also claims sovereignty over the Scarborough Shoal, which it calls “Huangyan Dao” and treats it as part of the Zhongsha Islands. —KG, GMA Integrated News
