MANILA – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) will send a diplomatic protest on what the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) called “dangerous maneuvers” by China’s Air Force at Bajo de Masinloc last August 8, 2024.
The DFA confirmed this by saying that the diplomatic protest “will be sent within the day”.
This is after the AFP strongly condemned the “dangerous and provocative actions of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF)” for endangering the lives of personnel undertaking maritime security operations recently within the Philippine maritime zones.
In a statement by the AFP, it stated that two aircrafts from the PLAAF “executed a dangerous maneuver” and “dropped flares in the path a Philippine Air Force (PAF) NC-212i aircraft while undertaking legitimate operations in the West Philippine Sea.”
“The incident posed a threat to Philippine Air Force aircraft and its crew, interfered with lawful flight operations in airspace within Philippine sovereignty and jurisdiction, and contravened international law and regulations governing safety of aviation,” Gen. Romeo S. Brawner, AFP Chief of Staff, said in a statement.
In the same statement, Brawner confirmed that the pilots and crew of the NC-212i safely returned to Clark Air Base after the incident, and that all personnel on board were unharmed.
The AFP also reported the incident to the DFA and relevant government agencies, the statement added.
(Courtesy of National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea)
On the question about the possible repercussions of the incident on the provisional understanding reached by Manila and Beijing recently on how to manage rotation and resupply (RORE) missions, the DFA reiterated that the Philippines “adopts a de-escalatory approach to tensions in the WPS (West Philippine Sea)”.
“Please note the provisional understanding applies only to RORE missions in Ayungin Shoal. But the Philippines adopts a de-escalatory approach to tensions in the WPS. It remains committed to diplomacy and peaceful means of resolving disputes,” DFA Spokesperson Asec. Ma. Teresita Daza said.
