Chinese warship fires flares as Philippine Coast Guard plane patrols in disputed sea
Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela immediately condemned China’s actions, which put at risk the lives of Filipino Coast Guard personnel on a routine maritime domain awareness (MDA) flight.
A footage from Philippine Coast Guard personnel showing flares fired by a Chinese vessel. The video was shared by PCG Spokesperson for West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela on X (formerly Twitter).
Anna Mogato | April 11, 2026
MANILA — A Chinese vessel harassed a Philippine Coast Guard planes on patrol in the disputed South China Sea, firing flares as it flew over Panganiban and Zamora Reefs.
, Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson for West Philippine Sea, immediately condemned China’s actions, which put at risk the lives of Filipino Coast Guard personnel on a routine maritime domain awareness (MDA) flight.
“By targeting unarmed Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) aircraft with flares, Beijing is not only violating established international aviation safety norms and the spirit of regional peace but is also directly endangering the lives of personnel on board,” Tarriela said, in a social media post on X (formerly Twitter).
“These reckless and aggressive actions by China represent yet another escalation in their campaign of intimidation and harassment.”
Tarriela said that a Chinese warship also issued a radio challenge on the aircraft, claiming an “indisputable sovereignty” over “their own illegally reclaimed and militarized bases in the West Philippine Sea.”
“These assertion have no basis in international law, as affirmed by the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal ruling, and serve only to mask China’s expansionist agenda and repeated violations of international law,” Tarriela added. (Also read: China Rewriting Maritime Rules)
On that same day, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and PCG had officially activated the Coast Guard District in the Kalayaan Island Group in an effort to assert the Philippines’ sovereignty and enforce maritime laws on the island chain.
This comes after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the DOTr and PCG to expand its coast guard districts in strategic areas of the country’s maritime domain. (Also read: Navy rejects maritime cooperation with China)
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and PCG to expand and establish more coast guard districts in strategic areas in the country’s coastline to further enhance their capabilities and better protect the Philippines’ maritime domain.
“This is not just a symbol, this is a permanent step to prove that our coast guard is ready to protect our national interest and our fellow fishermen and their livelihood, and most of all our sovereignty,” Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez said.