Philippine authorities were able to perform its mission without any harassment from Chinese vessels in Scarborough Shoal on Monday.

In an online press briefing, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela said the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) aircraft were able to conduct two sorties during a maritime patrol operation.

He said the second sortie was tailed by two People's Liberation Army (PLA) Naval Air Force helicopters when it entered the territorial air space of Scarborough Shoal but Tarriela noted that unlike the incident in previous month the Chinese helicopter maintained a distance of three miles away from the BFAR aircraft.

"Surprisingly, it didn't come close. It maintained a distance of three miles away from the position of the BFAR aircraft," he said.

"We did not experience harassment on the part of the Chinese Coast Guard. I think it's primarily because it's not that close to Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal)," he added, noting that the BFAR vessels were distributing supplies to Filipino fishermen 30 nautical miles away from the shoal.

Tarriela said during the flights, the BFAR aircraft monitored a total of 26 Filipino fishing boats, four BFAR vessels, two Philippine Coast Guard (PCG ) ships, one PLA Navy Warship, five Chinese Coast Guard and four Chinese maritime militia vessels within and near the shoal.

He added that the maritime militia also installed floating barriers at the southeast entrance of the shoal to prevent the Filipino fishermen, PCG and BFAR vessels from entering Bajo de Masinloc.

"What is worth noting is the Chinese maritime militia vessels that are inside Bajo de Masinloc installed once again the floating barriers," he said.

"They install it every time that they are monitoring the presence of Philippine government vessels, whether they are BFAR or Philippine Coast Guard. Whenever there are a lot of Filipino fishing boats going to Bajo de Masinloc this is a measure that they're doing. To ensure that we are not able to enter Bajo de Masinloc," he added. Robina Asido/DMS