Philippines to file new diplomatic protest vs China after airspace incident

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines plans to file a new diplomatic protest against China after two Chinese aircraft dropped flares in the path of a Philippine Air Force aircraft patrolling Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal) last week, an incident that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has "strongly" condemned. 

Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo bared this during an ambush interview on Monday.

Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. said that the Philippines cannot let the incident pass without lodging a diplomatic protest against China, which it has repeatedly done after past confrontations between Chinese and Filipino vessels in the contested waters. 

"Naturally, hindi tayo pwedeng pabayaan ito kahit na sabihin ng publiko na 'diplomatic protest, what not.' We cannot not do it, kung hindi nag-a-acquiesce tayo," Teodoro added.

(Naturally, we cannot just ignore this, even if the public says 'diplomatic protest, what not.' We cannot not do it; otherwise, we are acquiescing.)

On Sunday, Marcos issued a statement calling China’s actions “unjustified, illegal and reckless."

The Armed Forces of the Philippines said the incident "posed a threat to Philippine Air Force (PAF) 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."

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