PCG: We have not lost Escoda Shoal amid BRP Teresa Magbanua pullout

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Monday said the country has not lost Escoda Shoal in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) despite the pullout of BRP Teresa Magbanua.

“As far as the Philippines Coast Guard is concerned, we have not lost anything,” PCG spokesperson for WPS Commodore Jay Tarriela said in a press briefing.

“Escoda Shoal, no matter how many instances we intend to go there, we can be able to patrol and deploy our vessel,” Tarriela added.

Tarriela made the statement when asked if the Philippines already lost Escoda Shoal to China as similar circumstances had previously occurred with Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal.

Despite China’s presence, he pointed out that Philippine vessels can still go to Escoda Shoal because it has many entry points unlike Bajo de Masinloc that has only one entrance.

“Escoda Shoal has a total area of 137 square kilometers. For you to visualize how big this area is, it is a combination of cities from Manila, Caloocan, Navotas, and Malabon,” he said.

“....Bajo de Masinloc only has one single entrance and that is the southeast entrance of the lagoon in Bajo de Masinloc. Escoda Shoal is composed of two lagoons on the west side and eastern side. And each lagoon has different areas where you can pass through,” he added.

According to Tarriela, Chinese vessels had successfully blocked the previous resupply missions of Philippine ships in Escoda Shoal because China already knew that BRP Teresa Magbanua was the destination.

“But right now, there is no reason for us to be blocked. We can go to Escoda Shoal with such total area and it's almost impossible for the Chinese government to block our intent to patrol the entire vicinity of Escoda Shoal,” Tarriela said.

BRP Teresa Magbanua was pulled out from Escoda Shoal on Sunday due to its questionable seaworthiness, lack of supplies for the crew, and the bad weather condition. It had been stationed in Escoda Shoal since April amid reports of China’s reclamation activities in the area. 

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

EXPLAINER: What is the Sabina Shoal and why is it important?

In an interview on Unang Balita earlier in the day, Tarriela said the national government is planning to deploy other vessels to Escoda Shoal as a replacement for BRP Teresa Magbanua.

“There are other Coast Guard vessels that we intend to deploy sa Escoda Shoal. Yes, that's the plan of the national government,” he said.

Directive out

National Maritime Council (NMC) spokesman Alexander Lopez said PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan has already issued the directive for the deployment of ships to Escoda Shoal.

“Actually, meron nang directive ang ating commandant, si Admiral Gavan, na magpadala na ng barko doon sa vicinity ng Escoda,” he told reporters in an ambush interview.

(Actually, our Commandant, Admiral Gavan, already gave a directive to send a ship to the vicinity of Escoda.)

“Ang ating modality to have our presence there yung pagpapadala ng barko, isa lang yan. So meron tayong technical capabilities to do that also so we can monitor, we can detect any illegal activities being conducted there,” he added.

(Our modality to have our presence there is sending a ship, that's just one. So we have the technical capabilities so we can monitor, we can detect any illegal activities being conducted there.)

China has been urging the Philippines to remove BRP Terera Magbanua from Escoda Shoal, saying the ship's presence violated Chinese sovereignty.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry also lodged a formal protest over the presence of the Philippine ship in Escoda Shoal.

Tensions continue amid China’s massive claim in the South China Sea (SCS), including the portion the Philippines refers to as the West Philippine Sea.

The SCS is a conduit for more than $3 trillion in annual ship commerce. Aside from the Philippines, China has overlapping claims in the area with Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei.

In 2016, an international arbitration tribunal in Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines over China's claims in the South China Sea, saying it has "no legal basis."

China has not recognized the decision. —KBK, GMA Integrated News