Palace Awaits DFA Statement On Recent West Philippine Sea Incident

Malacanang is relying on the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) for any statement regarding the alleged harassment experienced by a Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) team at Pag-asa Island in Palawan recently.

Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr., in a statement, said the Foreign Affairs department has been informed about the incident.

“We will await for the DFA’s statement on this matter,” he said.

Reports said a technical group from CAAP went to Pag-asa Island last Jan. 7 to check on the area where an Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) equipment will be constructed.

Reports quoting CAAP Deputy Director General for Operations Rodante Joya, who held a briefing Monday, said the radar would be constructed to monitor commercial flights passing through the West Philippine Sea daily.

He said that when the team, which was onboard a private chartered Cessna plane, was already near the Rancudo airstrip they received a radio message from a person who identified himself as someone from the Chinese Navy.

The message said:”Foreign military, this is the Chinese Navy. You are threatening the security of our station.”

Joya said their pilot disregarded the message.

He said they were able to assess the area where the radar would be constructed but added that they were still waiting for Malacanang’s go signal for the project given the territorial dispute on the area. (PNA) RMA/JSV/SGP