Jamaine Punzalan

The Philippine Coast Guard’s BRP Gabriela Silang (OPV 8301) cuts through the West Philippine Sea as Philippine Air Force's A-29B Super Tucano provide critical aerial overwatch during the 15th MMCA held from February 20 to 26, 2026. AFP-PAO

Article (news)

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/1772601236661viber_image_2026-03-04_13-11-25-330.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">The Philippine Coast Guard’s BRP Gabriela Silang (OPV 8301) cuts through the West Philippine Sea as Philippine Air Force&#x27;s A-29B Super Tucano provide critical aerial overwatch during the 15th MMCA held from February 20 to 26, 2026. <em>AFP-PAO </em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The recently concluded 15th multilateral maritime cooperative activity (MMCA) was marked not only by its expanded reach to the Philippines’ northernmost islands, but also by the unusual and sustained tailing of the drills by two People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLA-N) vessels.</p><p>According to Philippine Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, it was uncommon for Chinese warships to closely trail the exercise from start to finish.</p><p>For four days—from February 23 to 26—the 15th MMCA of the Philippines, the United States and Japan covered a vast maritime stretch—from waters west of Subic Bay and the vicinity of Bajo de Masinloc up to Mavulis Island.</p><p>Throughout the transit, two PLA-N warships followed the participating vessels.</p><p>“It was unusual because previous MMCAs [did] not last that long and the area covered [were] not that large,&quot; Trinidad told reporters at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.</p><p>“It was illegal, but there was no untoward incident or any coercive or aggressive action conducted by the two warships,” he added.</p><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/17726013432421772601340673.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">A Philippine Navy personnel monitors the horizon as the USS Dewey (DDG 105) and its embarked MH-60R Seahawk maneuver ahead during the 15th Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity (MMCA) in the West Philippine Sea, held from February 20 to 26, 2026. <em>AFP-PAO</em></span></span></span></div><p>The official clarified that while the extended tailing was unusual, the presence of Chinese vessels in the vicinity of exercises has become almost “semi-permanent.”</p><p>“They have been conducting operations within the vicinity of the different exercises we have conducted, so it’s not unusual to have them there,” Trinidad noted. “Their presence is already more or less semi-permanent. We expect their presence each time we have an MMCA.”</p><div><strong>MMCA REACHES PH&#x27;s NORTHERN TIP</strong></div><p>For the first time, the MMCA extended to the Babuyan and Batanes island groups. Through air patrols, it reached the country’s northernmost maritime approaches, including the Bashi Channel.</p><p>The Bashi Channel is a strategic waterway separating Mavulis Island in Batanes from Taiwan.</p><p>“It’s a great accomplishment on the part of the AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines]. We have seen integrated activities, communications, cross deck activities, ship to ship, and air to air exercises. It’s a very much welcome move for us as we slowly implement Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept (CADC) operations as mandated by the Secretary of National Defense,” Trinidad said.</p><div><iframe width="1023" height="575" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OUXiRJUgKMQ" title="MMCA air patrols reach Bashi Channel for first time | ABS-CBN News" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><p>The official added that more activities would be conducted in the future, not only in the West Philippine Sea and the northern islands, but also in the eastern seaboard.</p><div><strong>FIRST JOINT FLIGHT WITH JAPAN’S P-3 ORION</strong></div><p>One of the highlights of the 15th MMCA was the first-ever joint flight between the Philippine Air Force’s (PAF) FA-50 light combat aircraft and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s (JMSDF) P-3 Orion maritime surveillance aircraft.</p><p>PAF spokesperson Colonel Ma. Christina Basco said the joint flight marked an important step in interoperability between the two forces.</p><p>“We are glad that we were able to have that experience when they were flying over our territory,” Basco said. “It was more of the photo exercises, as well as the interoperability and communications that we exercised with Japan.”</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/3/62-chinese-naval-coast-guard-ships-spotted-in-west-ph-sea-in-february-1516">62 Chinese naval, coast guard ships spotted in West PH Sea in February</a></div><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/17726012910411772601289617.png" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Philippine Air Force&#x27;s FA-50PH Fighting Eagle flies in close formation with a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force&#x27;s P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft over the West Philippine Sea during the 15th Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity (MMCA), held from February 20 to 26, 2026. <em>AFP-PAO</em></span></span></span><strong>CHINESE AGGRESSION IN WPS AMID GLOBAL TENSIONS</strong></div><p>Asked whether tensions in the Middle East, where China has openly expressed support for Iran, could spill over to the West Philippine Sea, Trinidad said the Philippines already faces serious concerns even without external developments.</p><p>“Even without conflicts in other parts of the world—in this particular case, the Middle East—the illegal presence of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the PLA Navy, the China Coast Guard (CCG), and the maritime militia, and their coercive and aggressive actions are already reasons for concern,” the official said.</p><p>“They [China] control escalation dominance. We don’t need any outside factor for us to say that we are concerned about their actions,” he said. “Yung kanilang iligal na presensya pa lamang, yun ang malaking issue na kinakaharap natin. That is the real issue that we are addressing.”</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/3/3/no-marked-dip-in-us-support-for-ph-amid-middle-east-tensions-afp-1527">No &#x27;marked dip&#x27; in US support for PH amid Middle East tensions–AFP</a></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2026/3/4/-they-were-going-to-attack-first-trump-seeks-to-justify-iran-war-but-stated-objectives-shift-0753">&#x27;They were going to attack first&#x27;: Trump seeks to justify Iran war, but stated objectives shift</a></div>

<p>The recently concluded 15th multilateral maritime cooperative activity (MMCA) was marked not only by its expanded reach to the Philippines’ northernmost islands, but also by the unusual and sustained tailing of the drills by two People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLA-N) vessels.</p>

The recently concluded 15th multilateral maritime cooperative activity (MMCA) was marked not only by its expanded reach to the Philippines’ northernmost islands, but also by the unusual and sustained tailing of the drills by two People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLA-N) vessels.

From Zambales to Batanes: AFP flags Chinese warships’ ‘unusual’ tailing of PH-US-Japan patrols

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From Zambales to Batanes: AFP flags Chinese warships’ ‘unusual’ tailing of PH-US-Japan patrols

Bianca Dava,

ABS-CBN News

Published March 04, 2026 01:16 PM PHT

|

Updated March 04, 2026 01:17 PM PHT

Read More:

MMCA

multilateral maritime cooperative activity

People’s Liberation Army Navy

Chinese warships

Bashi Channel

West Philippine Sea

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