A PHILIPPINE Navy ship on patrol near Pag-asa Island in the West Philippine Sea narrowly avoided a collision with a Chinese missile frigate on March 25.
In a statement on Thursday night, the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) Western Command said the BRP Benguet encountered the People’s Liberation Army Navy missile frigate, with bow/pennant number 532 while on routine patrol.
The frigate “executed an unsafe and unprofessional maneuver by closing in and passing at a dangerously close distance,” the AFP said.
It said such maneuvers are provocative and constitute a clear violation of the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea.
“Despite this, the measured and decisive actions of the Benguet effectively prevented escalation while ensuring the safety of all personnel on board,” it added.
Speaking at the just-concluded forum organized by the Stratbase Institute and the Japanese Embassy in Manila marking 70 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries, AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said the Philippines would remain anchored in international law despite China’s growing assertiveness in the disputed waters.
“In the face of the People’s Republic of China’s increasing assertiveness in the West Philippine Sea and the broader South China Sea, the Philippines remains firmly anchored in international law, diplomacy and transparency,” Brawner said, describing Manila’s approach as “principled restraint, coupled with resolve.”
He stressed that the country would continue to assert its maritime rights through peaceful and lawful means, citing the 2016 ruling under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which invalidated Beijing’s sweeping claims in the South China Sea.
Brawner also pointed to expanding defense cooperation with allies, including the “SQUAD” grouping and the upcoming Balikatan Exercises, which are set to include Japanese participation for the first time, as a sign of Manila’s firm resolve.
For his part, Stratbase president Victor Andres Manhit said defending Philippine sovereignty requires a broader, multi-sectoral approach beyond government, calling for “strategic clarity” and deeper coordination with democratic partners.
“Because the next seventy years will not be defined by history — but by how we act today,” Manhit said. “In a region where the stakes continue to rise, the Philippines and Japan have both the opportunity and the responsibility to work together to strengthen economic resilience, enhance security cooperation and uphold the principles that keep our region stable and open.”
Meanwhile, Philippine Coast Guard commandant Adm. Ronnie Gil Gavan described tensions in the West Philippine Sea as a “daily reality” for frontline personnel, framing maritime security as a fundamental right.
“Security at sea is a human right,” Gavan said, noting that coast guard personnel routinely protect Filipino fishers and respond to vessels in distress.
He added that Philippine authorities have repeatedly documented incidents of Chinese vessels attempting to block or harass Filipino personnel, calling the West Philippine Sea the “most immediate test” of Manila’s partnerships with like-minded countries.
Gavan emphasized the importance of cooperation with allies such as Japan in maintaining a sustained presence at sea and ensuring that Philippine forces remain “professional, yet unyielding.”
Former Supreme Court justice Antonio Carpio said enforcement of the 2016 arbitral award does not depend on a single global authority but on the continued presence of allied navies in contested waters.
“Every time the US and its allies sail in the West Philippine Sea... that is enforcement,” Carpio said, adding that such operations reinforce the area as part of the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone under the ruling.
He also urged the government to pursue additional legal remedies, including new arbitral cases over overlapping extended continental shelf claims, to further strengthen the landmark decision and build broader international support.