As the Chinese Coast Guard is determined to intercept, harass, and block the country's maritime patrols in its exclusive economic zones in the West Philippine Sea, the military vowed it will be more eager to defend and protect the Philippines' territorial integrity in the South China Sea.

Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. on Wednesday confirmed that the Chinese Coast Guard "challenged" anew the Philippine Navy vessels that were traversing nearby the Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, for a patrol mission going to the northern Philippines.

"While we were patrolling in the area, we noticed that the CCG challenged our navy ship. So we responded to that challenge and asserted that were on a maritime patrol mission and told them to stay away and don't block our maritime patrol," he said in Filipino during an interview with the state-run Radyo Pilipinas.

Brawner clarified that no military vessel has been docked in the Bajo de Masinloc in Zambales, but maritime patrols are being regularly conducted in the area.

"It is inherited in our mission to make maritime patrols in our territorial waters and in our exclusive economic zones, and that Scarborough Shoal is way [nearer] inside of our exclusive economic zone," he said.

Brawner said the Philippines should insist on the shoal as it was a traditional fishing ground for Filipino fishermen.

"Our fishermen should be able to go inside the shoal to fish," he added. "We really assert that China, they do not own that and we are protecting the rights of our fishermen to fish in the Scarborough shoal."

Brawner said the Philippine Navy will continue conducting maritime patrols in the area to make sure that Filipino fishermen will be protected while fishing in the shoal.

On the other hand, Brawner said the military has not detected signs that China is building any structures within Scarborough Shoal.

"Well as of now, there are no [Chinese] structures in Scarborough Shoal," he said.

The CCG had earlier installed a 300-meter floating barrier near the entrance of Scarborough Shoal. It was then cut by the Philippine Coast Guard upon orders of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and National Security Adviser Eduardo Año, asserting that the country is the rightful owner of the territorial waters.

Brawner said they have deployed teams from the Philippine Navy to monitor and conduct regular patrols in the nine Philippine-occupied features in the WPS, including the Pag-asa Island, Panata Island, Likas Island, Kota Island, Patag Island, Lawak Island, Panganiban Reef, Ayungin shoal and Rizal Reef.