PCG: China 'overreacting' in Escoda Shoal due to presence of BRP Teresa Magbanua

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) believes the reason for China's aggressive moves in Escoda Shoal is due to the presence there of PCG vessel BRP Teresa Magbanua. 

PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea (WPS) Commodore Jay Tarriela said this following Sunday's incident where China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels rammed and used a water cannon on the BRP Datu Sanday of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) near Escoda Shoal. 

“We could just assume that the reason why China is overreacting is because naniniwala sila sa sarili nilang paranoid narrative na merong dahilan tayo na ire-reinforce natin ang presence ng Teresa Magbanua,” Tarriela said in an Unang Balita interview on Monday. 

(We could just assume that the reason why China is overreacting is because they believe in their own paranoid narrative that we have a reason to reinforce the presence of Teresa Magbanua.) 

“For so many months, they are asking and criticizing the presence of the Philippine Coast Guard vessel there. Sinasabi nila na ito daw ay semi-grounded na, ito daw ay gagawing forward deployment base [they’re saying that it is already semi-grounded, that it will be turned into a forward deployment base], and they even filed a diplomatic protest asking us to remove our Teresa Magbanua in Escoda Shoal,” he added. 

BRP Teresa Magbanua, one of the PCG’s largest and most modern ships, has been stationed in Escoda Shoal since April this year amid reports of China’s reclamation activities there.

China refers to Escoda Shoal as Xianbin Jiao, claiming it is part of its Nansha Islands.

The PCG has stood firm that Escoda Shoal is located within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 arbitral award.

The PCG also said it deployed a vessel to Escoda Shoal not to provoke or escalate tensions but to protect and safeguard the Philippines' sovereign rights over these waters, particularly against illegal poachers and activities that damage the marine environment.

Despite the incident on Sunday, Tarriela said that it is up to the Department of National Defense (DND) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to decide whether it will invoke the Mutual Defense Treaty between the Philippines and the United States. 

EXPLAINER: The PH-US Mutual Defense Treaty

“I will trust the DND and the AFP to decide on this. For the DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs), of course, they also are responsible in the diplomatic approach ng ating gobyerno, so sila rin ang may [of our government so they also have an] authority when it comes to this kind of strategy,” he said. 

Tarriela also affirmed that the resupply missions will continue for the Filipino fisherfolks in Escoda Shoal and other parts of the West Philippine Sea. 

“The BFAR vessel, in cooperation with the PCG, we are still doing humanitarian missions para magpaabot ng tulong sa ating mga mangingisdang Pilipino. Not just in Escoda Shoal, but even in other areas kung saan makikita natin na merong mga mangingisdang Pilipino na nagpaplagay dito at ‘yan ang pinupuntahan ng BFAR at PCG,” he added. 

(We are still doing humanitarian missions to extend help to our Filipino fishermen. Not just in Escoda Shoal, but even in other areas where we can see Filipino fishermen—the BFAR and PCG will go there.) —KBK, GMA Integrated News