A Chinese missile boat aimed lasers at a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) aircraft during a maritime patrol near Hasa-Hasa Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, posing a serious threat to the crew’s safety, according to the National Maritime Council (NMC) on Monday.
The incident occurred on September 27 as two Philippine ships, BRP Datu Romapenet and BRP Datu Matanam Taradapit, were en route to Hasa-Hasa Shoal to deliver aid to Filipino fishermen. The BFAR plane, which had embedded media aboard, was accompanying the ships when one of the Chinese Navy boats directed lasers at the aircraft.
Pilots Charles Manalo and Alex Garay immediately issued a radio challenge to the Chinese vessel, stating, “You are endangering our safety. Do not fire lasers on our aircraft!” However, the Chinese warship responded by emitting two more laser bursts before changing its course.
NMC spokesperson Undersecretary Alexander Lopez warned that lasers can temporarily blind pilots, creating a dangerous situation if vision is impaired during flight. Lopez said the incident would be reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs for possible diplomatic action.
Increased Chinese Presence
Aside from the laser incident, the BFAR plane also spotted a growing presence of Chinese ships near Palawan. On September 26, Chinese Coast Guard vessel 5202 and a warship were seen just 25 nautical miles from Palawan’s coastline. The following day, two additional Chinese warships were observed in the area, along with the same Coast Guard vessel.
BFAR pilots challenged the presence of these vessels, highlighting that they were within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Despite repeated calls, the Chinese ships did not respond.
Chinese Vessels at Iroquois Reef
A significant number of Chinese maritime militia vessels were also detected at Iroquois Reef near Recto Bank, an area believed to hold untapped oil and gas reserves. During the BFAR plane’s flyby, 24 Chinese militia vessels were spotted, seven of which were anchored side by side. Additionally, a Chinese Navy warship was seen in the area.
Despite the overwhelming Chinese presence, Philippine vessels BRP Datu Pagbuaya and BRP Datu Bangkao successfully delivered fuel and provisions to Filipino fishermen at the reef.