PH Coast Guard slams Chinese Navy chopper’s ‘dangerous’ maneuvers

ELEVATED TENSIONS A Chinese military helicopter shadows a plane of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources over Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal on Tuesday. According to those onboard the BFAR aircraft, the chopper got as close as 3 meters at one point during the tense encounter. —AP

MANILA, Philippines — The Chinese Navy chopper’s maneuvers against a Philippine aircraft over the Bajo de Masinloc or Panatag Shoal (Scarborough Shoal) in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) was China’s “most dangerous” act so far, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said on Wednesday.

PCG spokesperson for the WPS Commodore Jay Tarriela pointed out that the 12-seater Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) aircraft was carrying PCG personnel and media members when the Chinese Navy’s chopper came so close.

The Philippine aircraft was conducting a maritime domain awareness flight “asserting the country’s sovereign rights” over the shoal’s vicinity, part of the WPS.

READ: Chinese PLA Navy chopper gets as close as 3 meters to BFAR plane

“It’s common sense that a proximity like this is outright very dangerous and endangers the passengers of our aircraft,” Tarriela told reporters in an interview on Wednesday.

“So I think this is the most dangerous since they did this while our personnel and friends from the media are actually on board the BFAR aircraft. And in terms of the level of dangerous act they did, this is the most dangerous for me,” he added.

The Chinese Navy’s chopper with tail number 68 tailed the BFAR aircraft first for 40 minutes. It then came as close as three meters during its maneuver and 10 meters a few minutes later.

Tarriela said the Chinese Navy helicopter disregarded the International Civil Aviation Organization’s international aviation regulations when it moved “three meters to the port side and above the BFAR aircraft.”

“The PCG and BFAR remain committed to asserting our sovereignty, sovereign rights, and maritime jurisdiction in the West Philippine Sea, despite the aggressive and escalatory actions of China,” he added.

The PCG has been monitoring the movements of China Coast Guard vessels unlawfully operating within the country’s exclusive economic zone and near Zambales since January.

Beijing’s continued aggression was based on its assertion of sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, including most of the WPS, as it continues to reject the 2016 arbitral ruling that effectively dismissed its claims and ruled in favor of Manila.