MANILA — Four Chinese warships confronted a Philippine Navy ship during a patrol mission en route to Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal) over the weekend, in what was described as a rare maritime standoff observed and documented by members of the media.

In a repor, it said that accoring to Jun Veneracion on “24 Oras Weekend,” the Philippine Navy’s BRP Diego Silang was conducting a maritime patrol when it encountered four Chinese vessels, an escalation from an earlier sighting of only one ship.

During the encounter, both sides exchanged radio challenges, with a Chinese warship instructing the Philippine vessel to leave the area immediately.

Despite being outnumbered, the BRP Diego Silang continued its patrol mission.

In a demonstration of capability, the Philippine warship deployed its onboard Agusta 109 helicopter while sailing at a speed of 18 knots as part of operations near the disputed shoal.

China claimed the helicopter had entered its airspace without authorization and posed a security threat. The Philippine Navy maintained that it was conducting a lawful operation and urged Chinese vessels to observe international collision regulations.

Chinese Navy Warship 554 reportedly monitored the Philippine vessel closely for several hours as it approached within about 20 nautical miles of Bajo de Masinloc.

Capt. John Percie Alcos, commanding officer of the BRP Diego Silang, said the Philippine military will continue asserting the country’s maritime rights over the area.

A Philippine Navy helicopter later conducted an aerial patrol over the shoal at around 300 feet and observed that a previously reported structure in the area had already been removed, according to Navy pilot Windel Cayago.

During the same operation, a Chinese aircraft also flew overhead and reportedly passed above the Philippine helicopter at around 17,000 feet.

The mission ended without any untoward incident.

The patrol took place a day after the Agusta 109 helicopter was tested during the final day of a maritime cooperative activity involving the Philippine Navy, Philippine Coast Guard, and the United States Coast Guard.

It also coincided with the conclusion of Salaknib 2026, a nearly three-month joint military exercise involving more than 7,000 troops from the Philippines, United States, Japan, New Zealand, and Australia.