PCG: Return of BRP Teresa Magbanua to Palawan ‘not a withdrawal’

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Sunday clarified that it did not withdraw from the Escoda Shoal, also known as the Sabina Shoal, as the BRP Teresa Magbanua was just “repositioned” back to Palawan due to unfavorable weather conditions and depleted supplies.

According to PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan, Philippine forces did not withdraw from the Escoda Shoal, which is within the country’s 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

“Hindi tayo nag-withdraw (We did not withdraw)… We repositioned the vessel,” he said in a report by Joseph Morong on GMA’s 24 Oras Weekend on Sunday.

“We will maintain our presence in all of our exclusive economic zones including Escoda Shoal,” he added. Further details were not provided in the report.

The BRP Teresa Magbanua (MRRV-9701), returned from Sabina or Escoda Shoal after a five-month stalemate with Chinese forces. The vessel, one of the largest ships of the PCG, sustained structural damage when China Coast Guard vessels deliberately rammed on August 31.

The Magbanua, which was sent to the Escoda Shoal in April, arrived at the Puerto Princesa Port in Palawan past 1 p.m. on Sunday, September 15, as recommended by Gavan to the National Maritime Council (NMC).

“I made the recommendation, I made all the consultations necessary to come up with the sound decision, and I think we’ve made the right thing,” he said.

Gavan, along with Palawan Coast Guard district commander Capt. Dennis Labay, and PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tariella were at the pier to welcome  the 63 men and women of the Magbanua who had to endure limited supplies during its five-month deployment in the disputed waters.

A number of the sailors were reported sick and were immediately brought to the Coast Guard Dispensary for initial check ups. Four were also on dextrose and were brought to the hospital via ambulance waiting pier-side.

The remaining crew members were honored with a traditional boodle fight held inside the ship’s hangar, as sources said they had to make do with rice porridge or lugaw for three weeks, and had used up all of its food supply two days prior to their return. They also ran out of drinking water.

“Resourceful naman kami, so lugaw sir masaya na kami doon. Asin, asin lang sir. Tubig sir, naubusan rin (We are resourceful, so we were happy with just rice porridge seasoned with salt. We also ran out of drinking water),” BRP Teresa Magbanua commanding officer, Lieutenant Commander Efren Duran Jr. said.

For his part, Gavan said the boodle fight was a celebration of Magbanua’s successful return to Palawan.

“Today is a celebration, a thanksgiving of a very successfully conducted mission by this ship. This is a reintroduction of what food is all about,” he said.

The Chinese on Sunday also released a statement, claiming that the steps it took against the Philippine vessel were in accordance with the law.

“China took control measures on the No. 9701 ship in accordance with the law, and the Philippines’ repeated attempts to organize forced replenishment failed,” China Coast Guard spokesperson Liu Dejun said in the same report.

Chinese forces repeatedly stopped Filipino efforts to resupply the PCG vessel ever since it was stationed to Sabina Shoal to prevent China’s efforts to claim the location.—Jon Viktor Cabuenas/RF, GMA Integrated News