Three Chinese vessels and a naval helicopter shadowed a Philippine Navy routine patrol and maritime domain awareness flight over Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal, on Thursday, October 15.
According to a report by RH Edniel Parrosa, one Chinese vessel approached the Philippine warship while a Chinese helicopter followed a Philippine Navy AW109 aircraft during its surveillance mission.
Captain Paul Michael Hechanova, commanding officer of the BRP Miguel Malvar, said the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy Jiankai-class vessel 554 came within less than one nautical mile of the Philippine ship before issuing a radio challenge.
Both sides insisted over radio communications that they were acting in accordance with international law.
Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal, lies within the Philippines' 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone. The shoal was also recognized as a traditional fishing ground in the 2016 arbitral ruling on the South China Sea dispute.
The Chinese vessel reportedly approached within about 1,200 yards of the Philippine warship. A Chinese naval helicopter also took off as the Philippine Navy launched its AW109 aircraft for the patrol.
Lt. Hazel Joy Feliciano, pilot-in-command of the Philippine Navy's AW109 NH43, said the Chinese helicopter tailed their aircraft throughout the surveillance mission over Bajo de Masinloc.
“Nang nagpalipad kami—from BRP Miguel Malvar—nagpalipad din ng chopper si 554 ng PLA Navy. Nung papunta kami ng BDM, all throughout the flight, nakabuntot sila sa amin,” Feliciano said.
“There were no dangerous maneuvers that happened but sunud-sunuran po talaga sila. They were continuously monitoring us when we were doing the maritime patrols over BDM,” she added.
Despite the presence of Chinese vessels and the helicopter's continued monitoring of the Philippine aircraft, the Philippine Navy declared its sovereignty patrol generally successful.
“Sa normal na challenge nila na ibinibigay all the time na nandidito tayo sa pagpapatrolya, sinasagot naman natin ng maayos," Hechanova said.
The operation was conducted about 20 nautical miles south of Bajo de Masinloc.
Watch the full report below:
