The Philippine Coast Guard and spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea (WPS), Commodore Jay Tarriela, on Monday said they have received multiple radio challenges from Chinese vessels during their routine maritime patrol over the vicinity of Bajo de Masinloc.

In a Zoom briefing with the media, Tarriela said that aside from sending radio challenges, they suspected that the Chinese also engaged in signal jamming, compromising their communications with other Philippine government agencies guarding the WPS.

"We deployed a Coast Guard Islander, that departed Manila at around 700H (7 a.m.), and the reason we took a flight is because we monitored a large number of Filipino fishing boats na nangingisda sa vicinity ng Bajo de Masinloc," Tarriela said.

He added that the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources also deployed four of their vessels to provide safety and security to the fishermen, delivering them fuel subsidies and ice to preserve their haul.

It was on that flight that Tarriela said they also monitored three China Coast Guard vessels that engaged them in radio challenges.

He added that they have also noticed that the internet link provided by Starlink has been jammed.

A Chinese Navy warship issued two separate radio challenges to the Philippine Coast Guard during the patrol.

At the time of the challenges, the Chinese warship was positioned approximately 75 nautical miles from the coast of Zambales.

The routine maritime patrol missions are conducted to provide support to and assert the country’s maritime rights within its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).