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Chinese forces fire flares near PCG aircraft over Mischief Reef. Bianca Dava, ABS-CBN News

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Chinese forces fire flares 

Bianca Dava

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1774007227575Screenshot 2026-03-20 at 7.46.53 PM.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Chinese forces fire flares near PCG aircraft over Mischief Reef. <em>Bianca Dava, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>WEST PHILIPPINE SEA — Chinese forces fired flares as a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) aircraft conducted a maritime domain awareness (MDA) flight over the Kalayaan Island Group on Friday. </p><p>The PCG Cessna Caravan was flying near Mischief Reef or Panganiban Reef — one of China’s largest air and naval bases in the West Philippine Sea — when it encountered not only radio challenges but flares fired from the military facility.</p><p>Rear Adm. Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, was on board the aircraft along with other PCG personnel, local officials from Kalayaan, and journalists.</p><p>Speaking to journalists in Palawan, Tarriela said the incident as dangerous “because we cannot really expect how far the flares can reach the aircraft.” </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/20/navy-accuses-china-of-directing-fire-control-radar-at-its-vessel-1744">&#x27;Alarming&#x27;: Navy accuses China of directing fire-control radar at its vessel</a></div><p>Tarriela said Chinese forces also asserted “indisputable sovereignty” over the area during radio exchanges—claims he rejected.</p><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display:flex;max-width:550px;width:100%;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=2034901661123235982&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com%2F%23%2Fworkspace%2Fpersonal%3Fitem%3Durn%3Anewsml%3Aod2-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com%3A2026-03-20T11%3A40%3A07.422141%3Ae41a8ab0-e15f-44e7-bb09-44d8054f5914%26action%3Dedit&amp;sessionId=71c41fe9562832082fccc5958fba91ce3585bcc1&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&amp;width=550px" style="position:static;visibility:visible;width:524px;height:608px;display:block;flex-grow:1" data-tweet-id="2034901661123235982"></iframe></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8"></script><div><br/></div><p>“We need to emphasize that the Chinese government does not have indisputable sovereignty in Panganiban Reef and that falls within our exclusive economic zone,” he stressed.</p><p>In the 1990s, Beijing said it would only build a fisherman’s shelter in the area. The reef, however, has since been converted into a sophisticated military base.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>CHINESE MARITIME MILITIA SHIPS SWARM ESCODA SHOAL</strong></div><p> During the flight, the PCG monitored around 30 Chinese maritime militia vessels swarming Sabina or Escoda Shoal.</p><p>The aircraft also passed over Ayungin Shoal, where the BRP Sierra Madre remains grounded, serving as the Philippines’ military outpost in the area.</p><div> </div><div><strong>GATCHALIAN VISITS PAG-ASA ISLAND</strong></div><p> Earlier, Tarriela and his team traveled to Pag-asa Island to accompany Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian on his first visit to the Philippine-occupied feature.</p><p>The visit coincided with the graduation and moving-up ceremony of elementary students, where Gatchalian distributed bags and school supplies.</p><p>The senator also inspected key facilities on the island, including the municipal hall, an ongoing integrated school project, a health center, and military barracks.</p><p>Gatchalian underscored Pag-asa Island’s strategic importance.</p><p>“Ang mga tao dito—they are a symbol that we have control, jurisdiction, possession of the island,” he also told reporters on Pag-asa Island.</p><p>The senator also emphasized the need to improve living conditions for residents.</p><p>“Importanteng ang mga taong nandito ay komportable sila—maibigay natin ang basic requirements, like health and education,” Gatchalian said.</p><p>“Ang macocommit ko ay education, health, governance. Ang schools pinapatayo na… Ang health center papatayo rin natin. We promised to put mas malalaking health centers. Third, yung municipal hall nila na for a very long time hindi nagagamit ay irerepair na,” he added.</p><p>Plans are also underway to build a Roman Catholic church on Pag-asa Island, a move welcomed by residents.</p><p>“This is appreciated ng ating mga kababayan sa Pag-asa dahil majority of them are also Catholics. At least, magkakaroon na raw ng simbahan saan pwedeng manalangin ang ating mga kababayan. They’re also hoping na magkaroon ng permanent priest to lead the Masses,” Tarriela said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>INVITATION OPEN TO LAWMAKERS</strong></div><p>Kalayaan Vice Mayor Maurice Phillip Alexis Albayda said visits from national officials boost the morale of residents.</p><p>“Ito ay pagpapatibay na mayroong Pag-asa Island, mayroong Kalayaan Island Group na pinapahalagahan ng national government. Pangalawa, bilang LGU, nais naming mailapit yung mga pangangailangan ng ating mga kababayan at magigiting na mamamayan sa national government,” Albayda said.</p><p>“These are the voices usually not amplified—the stories of our people who are simply living on the island, and their sacrifices. They don’t have guns or hazard pay. What they have are genuine hearts na manatili sa isla para sa ating effective occupation.”</p><p>Gatchalian is the second senator to visit Pag-asa Island in the past 30 days, following Sen. Risa Hontiveros.</p><p>Tarriela said his invitation remains open for more lawmakers to visit the Philippine-occupied feature and join missions in the West Philippine Sea.</p><p>“Ang invitation natin sa ating mga mambabatas, whether in Congress or Senate ay nananatiling bukas… Ang akin pong imbitasyon kay Senator [Rodante] Marcoleta at Cong. [Paolo] Marcoleta ay bukas pa din po. I just want to hear their confirmation at agaran naman natin itong masi-schedule,” he added.</p><p>Amid rising fuel prices driven by the Middle East conflict, Tarriela made assurances that PCG operations in the West Philippine Sea—both aerial and maritime—will continue uninterrupted.</p>

<p>Chinese forces fired flares as a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) aircraft conducted a maritime domain awareness (MDA) flight over the Kalayaan Island Group on Friday.</p>

Chinese forces fired flares as a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) aircraft conducted a maritime domain awareness (MDA) flight over the Kalayaan Island Group on Friday.

Chinese forces fire flares near PCG aircraft over Mischief Reef

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Chinese forces fire flares near PCG aircraft over Mischief Reef

Bianca Dava,

ABS-CBN News

Published Mar 20, 2026 08:33 PM PHT

Read More:

Pag-asa Island

West Philippine Sea

Sherwin Gatchalian

Philippine Coast Guard

Jay Tarriela

Mischief Reef

Flares

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