China fighter jet intercepts PH aircraft; warship tails 2 US Navy ships

A Chinese fighter jet intercepted and conducted dangerous maneuvers against a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) aircraft near Bajo de Masinloc on Wednesday morning.

In a press briefing, PCG spokesperson for West Philippine Sea (WPS) Commodore Jay Tarriela said PCG's Caravan aircraft was conducting a maritime domain awareness (MDA) flight to check Chinese presence after Monday's incident in the area.

"While we were also conducting an MDA flight, we experienced being intercepted by a Chinese J-15 fighter jet," Tarriela said.

PCG Conducts MDA Flight Over Bajo De Masinloc

The Commandant of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan, has deployed this morning the PCG Caravan aircraft to conduct a Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) flight over the Bajo De Masinloc (BDM) area. The mission… pic.twitter.com/hgmcaMpgsE

— Jay Tarriela (@jaytaryela) August 13, 2025

"Approximately, it came close as near as 500 feet. And for 20 minutes, it conducted dangerous maneuvers with such distance. And even above the aircraft of the Coast Guard aircraft at an approximate height of 200 feet,” he added.

PLAN vessel 553 issued a radio challenge to the PCG aircraft.

Tarriela said the PCG aircraft also monitored four China Coast Guard (CCG) ships with bow numbers 5303, 4202, 3502, and 5306 near Bajo de Masinloc.

US vessels

Aside from these, Tarriela said two United States Navy ships were also spotted in the area around 30 nautical miles from Bajo de Masinloc or 102 nautical miles from Zambales.

According to Tarriela, PLAN vessel 568 was monitored tailing the two US naval ships.

"At the same time, while they were also flying over the vicinity of Bajo de Masinloc, they monitored the presence of PLA Navy 568 tailing the two US naval vessels," Tarriela said.

Reuters reported that China's military said Wednesday it monitored and "drove away" the American destroyer USS Higgins in the waters of the disputed Scarborough Shoal (Bajo de Masinloc) in the South China Sea.

China's Southern Theater Command said the US ship had entered the waters "without the approval of the Chinese government."

'False'

In an email to GMA Integrated News, however, US 7th Fleet spokesperson Lieutenant Cody Milam said the USS Higgins (DDG 76) asserted navigational rights and freedoms in the South China Sea near Scarborough Reef, consistent with international law. 

"This freedom of navigation operation (FONOP) upheld the rights, freedoms and lawful uses of the sea recognized in international law by challenging restrictions on innocent passage imposed by China and Taiwan," the spokesperson said.

"China's statement about this mission is false. USS Higgins (DDG 76) conducted this FONOP in accordance with international law and then continued on to conduct normal operations," Milam said.

He added, "The United States is defending its right to fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows, as USS Higgins did here. Nothing China says otherwise will deter us."

Milam also confirmed that USS Cincinnati (LCS 20) is currently conducting routine operations in the South China Sea.

Water cannon, collision

On Monday, the PCG and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) headed to Bajo de Masinloc to distribute aid to local fishermen as part of the Kadiwa program. 

Several Chinese vessels harassed Philippine vessels by using a water cannon, performing dangerous maneuvers, and shadowing. 

According to the PCG, PLAN ship 164 and CCG vessel 3104 collided while they were chasing PCG's BRP Suluan.

The CCG vessel sustained substantial damage, rendering it unseaworthy, while the flagpole of the PCG vessel was also damaged, the PCG said.

Bajo de Masinloc is located 124 nautical miles off Masinloc, Zambales, and is considered within the Philippines' 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Tensions continue as Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion of annual shipborne commerce, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.

Parts of the South China Sea that fall within Philippine territory have been renamed by the government as West Philippine Sea to reinforce the country’s claim.

The West Philippine Sea refers to the maritime areas on the western side of the Philippine archipelago including Luzon Sea and the waters around, within and adjacent to the Kalayaan Island Group and Bajo de Masinloc.

In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines over China's claims in the South China Sea, saying that it had "no legal basis."

China has refused to recognize the decision. — VDV, GMA Integrated News