MANILA – The Philippines will not be deploying its FA-50 fighter jets to the West Philippine Sea, opting instead to continue using patrol aircraft despite recent provocations by China near Bajo de Masinloc, military officials announced on Tuesday.
Colonel Xerxes Trinidad, Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Public Affairs Office, emphasized that Manila seeks to avoid escalating tensions, particularly after two Chinese air force warplanes approached and released flares near a Philippine maritime patrol aircraft.
“If you deploy fighter jets, it implies a different intent. What we are conducting is our rightful maritime patrol within our exclusive economic zone. Our objective is clear: we do not aim to escalate the situation on our end,” Trinidad stated.
AFP spokesperson Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla added that fast-moving aircraft are not suitable for maritime patrols.
“These are maritime patrols. Jets fly at high speeds, making them inefficient for this purpose. So, for these missions, we will continue using the current aircraft,” she explained.
The Philippine Air Force (PAF) currently operates 12 FA-50PH light fighter jets and is evaluating the capabilities of more advanced jets as part of its modernization program.
Last week, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. reaffirmed the government’s commitment to acquiring multi-role fighter jets following China’s recent actions in the West Philippine Sea airspace.
The Philippine Navy reported on Wednesday that the increasing number of Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea is not yet alarming.
As of the latest count, 129 vessels belonging to the Chinese maritime militia, People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, and the Chinese Coast Guard have been detected within the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), up from 92 vessels observed the previous week.
“Many of these are concentrated near Ayungin Shoal and Pag-asa Island, with 41 near Ayungin and 30 near Pag-asa Island,” Trinidad said in a televised briefing.
“This is not a cause for concern as the numbers we’ve monitored over the past three months have ranged from a low of 80 to a high of 256, fluctuating due to weather conditions and other factors. The current number is within acceptable limits for us,” he added.
China claims nearly the entire South China Sea, despite an international tribunal’s ruling that its claim has no legal basis.
On Monday, both the Philippines and China reported that their coast guard ships had collided near Escoda Shoal, approximately 140 kilometers west of the Philippine island of Palawan and about 1,200 kilometers from Hainan, China’s closest landmass.
Trinidad stated that this incident should not be considered a “flashpoint” in the West Philippine Sea.
“The recent incident involving our Coast Guard vessel and the Chinese Coast Guard was relatively new. A flashpoint refers to a situation with a long history and a high potential for escalation,” he said.
“This is part of the evolving dynamics and new challenges faced by the Philippine Navy and the Armed Forces of the Philippines concerning the West Philippine Sea,” he added.
The Philippine government previously condemned the “unprofessional and dangerous actions” of the Chinese Coast Guard, expressing “serious concern” over what it described as “deliberate harassment and infringement by China against Philippine sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction in the West Philippine Sea.”
The government also called on Beijing to “refrain from aggressive actions and adhere to international law.”