MANILA — The Department of National Defense (DND) dismissed China’s assertion that Philippine maritime operations near Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal) are a “self-directed farce,” saying the activities are lawful and part of routine exercises within the country’s sovereign rights.

“The real farce is the act of calling for peaceful engagement, while the fully armed and heftily funded People’s Liberation Army (Navy) is harassing our fisherfolk who are merely trying to make a living in their traditional fishing grounds,” the DND said in a statement.

The agency reported that a Philippine Coast Guard air patrol over Bajo de Masinloc was met with radio challenges from the People’s Liberation Army Navy and Air Force units while conducting its mission on Wednesday.

The DND also said it was unsurprised by China’s criticism of the Philippines’ transparency strategy, noting that “transparency is abhorred by those who twist the truth and manipulate narratives to legitimize their unlawful acts and baseless claims.”

The agency emphasized that China’s ongoing illegal, coercive, aggressive, and deceptive activities in the West Philippine Sea are being accurately documented and shared with the public.

“The PRC is to blame for the world’s growing awareness of the cognitive illusion that it is trying to create in order to cover up the reputational damage it is inflicting upon itself,” the DND concluded.