Unintimidated PCG constantly radio challenging China ‘monster ship’

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) was not intimidated by the presence of  the China Coast Guard (CCG) ship 5901, the world's largest coast guard ship known as "The Monster," in the Escoda Shoal as the PCG was constantly sending radio challenges.

“The Philippine Coast  Guard will not be intimidated or not going to pull back and direct the [BRP] Teresa Magbanua to go back to Palawan," said  PCG spokesperson for the  West Philippine Sea (WPS) Commodore Jay Tarriela said at the Saturday  News Forum.

"With the clear guidance of our  President and the intention of the commandant of the Philippine Coast  Guard to maintain our presence in Escoda Shoal, we’re not going to pull  out and we’re not going to be intimidated.”

Tarriela, on Friday, said CCG  5901 was deployed in Escoda Shoal to intimidate  PCG vessel 9701 or the BRP Teresa Magbanua. 

The PCG official said BRP Teresa Magbanua “has constantly radio  challenged [ship] 5901 of China Coast Guard since it arrived.”

Tarriela said radio challenges were also being sent “every  time when they do unusual activities such as deploying of rigid-hull  inflatable boats.”

BRP Teresa Magbanua has been stationed in Escoda Shoal since April amid reports of China’s reclamation activities in the area.

Escoda or Sabina Shoal is located 75 nautical miles or about 140 kilometers off Palawan and is considered within the Philippines’ 200-nautical-mile  exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

It is a coral reef formation with a central lagoon surrounded by discontinuous shallow sections.

Tarriela said the “monster ship” is not directly responding to BRP Teresa  Magbanua’s radio challenges, but rather “what they are saying is that  they are carrying out a legitimate Coast Guard operation as well.”

He said the CCG ship 5901 was only 800 yards away from BRP Teresa Magbanua as of July 3.

“We have been challenging their presence through radio calls —we are telling them that the place where they anchored is actually part of the exclusive economic zone of our country and that they do not have jurisdiction in that area,” Tarriela said.

“They respond by saying that they have sovereignty over these waters as well and that they are also doing a maritime law enforcement operation… they are not responding to our question as to their intention, but what they are saying is that what they are doing is a legitimate operation since they have sovereignty over these waters,” he said, pointing out that China has no jurisdiction over the WPS.

Using Canada's Dark  Vessel Detection technology, the Philippine Coast Guard successfully tracked the movements of the Chinese Coast Guard's 165-meter  monster ship.

On July 1st, the ship departed from Hainan and entered the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) the next day.

On July 3rd, it traveled directly to Ayungin Shoal and later proceeded to Panganiban Reef.

After a few hours, the ship was detected once again, this time heading towards Escoda Shoal.

For over two consecutive days, the CCG ship has been anchored at Escoda Shoal, sitting near BRP Teresa Magbanua.

Not an outpost

Tarriela also dismissed alleged Chinese disinformation that the BRP Terese  Magbanua is another permanent outpost of the Philippines in the disputed territorial waters in the South China Sea.

“We know that the Philippine Coast Guard vessel 9701 or BRP Teresa Magbanua has been maintaining our presence there for more than two months now,” he said.

“Regardless of whatever we bring onboard BRP Teresa Magbanua… China doesn’t have the authority to comment or criticize our efforts dito… regardless whatever comments of the Chinese are saying – whether they are implicating that this is just another Sierra Madre or this is a way for us to violate anything… I think we don’t have to listen to them,” the PCG official said.

“Again, Teresa Magbanua’s objective is only to advance our national interest and to safeguard our position in Escoda  Shoal,” he said.

According to JP Soriano’s Saturday “24 Oras Weekend” report, the Department of Foreign Affairs has yet to receive an official report regarding the passage of the Chinese “monster ship” in the Philippine EEZ.

Nothing illegal

For his part, maritime law expert Jay Batongbacal said that there was nothing illegal with the presence of the Chinese vessel as it was just exercising its freedom of navigation in the high seas and in the EEZ of other countries.

“There is nothing inherently illegal in CCG 5901's movements at this point, since it may exercise the freedom of navigation within the high seas and EEZ,” he said.

However, Batongbacal noted that it was clear that China was trying to intimidae the Philippines.

“Politically, however, it is clearly intended to intimidate the Philippines; it is a modern form of 'gunboat diplomacy' designed to cause alarm and concern,” he added. “Given that CN and PH have engaged in talks, these actions convey Beijing's underlying message: 'talk and agree to our terms, or else.'"

Beijing claims almost the entire South  China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion in annual ship commerce.  Its territorial claims overlap with those of the Philippines, Vietnam,  Malaysia, and Brunei.

Manila refers to parts of the waters within its exclusive economic zone as the West Philippine Sea.

In 2016, an international arbitration tribunal in the Hague ruled that  China's claims over the South China Sea had no legal basis, a decision  Beijing does not recognize. — Vince Angelo Ferreras/DVM, GMA Integrated News