Senator Risa Hontiveros on Monday urged the national government to hold China accountable for releasing flares in the path of a Philippine Air Force aircraft over Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal last week.

In a statement, Hontiveros said it is now time for the Philippine government to start a new legal battle with China over its “unacceptable” actions in the West Philippine Sea.

"We should not wait for China to escalate her provocations further before we raise these grave concerns to an international body. Are we going to wait until someone gets hurt before we take action?” she said.

“The Philippines must start a legal battle now,” she added, as she urged the executive branch to begin filing another round of legal cases before an international court.

According to Hontiveros, China is not only claiming the country’s maritime rights over the WPS but also “started encroaching on our skies.”

“These are clear and unacceptable violations of international law,” she said.

“China has repeatedly endangered our soldiers. A Philippine Navy officer has already been harmed, and now our Philippine Air Force pilots were put in real danger,” she said.

She continued: “Beijing must be held accountable for any potential injury to personnel or damage to equipment caused.”

Last Thursday, the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) carried out hazardous maneuvers and released flares in the path of a Philippine Air Force NC-212i propeller aircraft in Scarborough Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc.

China’s action were condemned by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who described the move as “unjustified, illegal, and reckless.”

The Philippines first brought China's expansive territorial claims over the South China Sea before the international court through the Permanent Court of Arbitration.

On 12 July 2016, the Philippines won the arbitration case it filed against China in the PCA.

China, however, rejected the arbitral ruling and stood by its historic rights nine-dash line claim in the said waters.