Manila, Sept. 10 -- The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has recorded multiple flare discharges by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) against an unarmed PCG aircraft conducting a Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) flight over the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG) on Sept. 7.

In a statement on Thursday, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea (WPS), Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela, said the aircraft was challenged over the radio by Chinese forces illegally occupying Zamora (Subi) Reef before landing on Pag-asa Island.

The Chinese forces then fired flares in the aircraft's direction, and those illegally occupying Panganiban (Mischief) Reef repeated the same actions.

In both instances, the PCG aircrew responded over the radio that the presence of Chine...