MANILA, (PIA) — The National Task Force West Philippine Sea (NTF WPS) has strongly condemned the “irresponsible, unprofessional, illegal, and dangerous acts” of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) that harassed a Philippine Air Force (PAF) patrol aircraft on August 8 in the skies near Bajo de Masinloc.
According to the NTF WPS statement, without any provocation or justifiable cause, two PLAAF aircraft conducted dangerous maneuvers in close proximity to the PAF aircraft, which was conducting a routine patrol mission.
The PLAAF planes deliberately deployed flares near the PAF aircraft, risking the safety of its Filipino crew.
The PAF NC-212 aircraft never posed a threat to the PLAAF jets, but the PLAAF fighters exhibited hazardous intent by launching flares in the flight path of the Philippine plane.
“Just when the waters of the West Philippine Sea seemed to show calm, the airspace above it was disturbed with acts of aggression,” the statement read.
The NTF WPS noted that the Philippine pilots and crew responded with focus, restraint, and professionalism, unfazed by the aggressive PLAAF jets.
The task force called on the government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to “cease all forms of provocative and hazardous acts that could undermine the safety of Filipino military and civilian personnel in the waters or in the skies, destabilize regional peace, and erode the trust and confidence of the international community in the PRC.”
The NTF WPS stated that air and maritime security patrol missions will continue within the country’s sovereign territory, airspace, and Exclusive Economic Zone, and that the monitoring of the Philippine airspace will be intensified.
The statement also emphasized that the Armed Forces of the Philippines will continue to perform its mandate to protect the people and secure the nation on land, air, sea, and cyberspace, proving that it is a force for regional peace and stability. (JCO/PIA-NCR)
