PH sends ship to Escoda Shoal to replace BRP Teresa Magbanua — Año

National Security Adviser Eduardo Año on Friday said the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has sent a ship to Escoda Shoal as a replacement for the BRP Teresa Magbanua.

"Actually, nagpadala na ang ating Coast Guard pero because of the weather kailangan mag-shelter muna," Año said in an ambush interview.

(Actually, our Coast Guard has already sent a replacement but because of the weather, it has to take shelter first.)

"Tuloy-tuloy 'yan as soon as mag-improve 'yung weather. May plano 'yung ating Philippine Coast Guard kung paano poproteksyunan ang ating West Philippine Sea," he added.

(It will continue with its journey as soon as the weather improves. Our Philippine Coast Guard has a plan on how to protect our West Philippine Sea.)

After five months of being anchored at the disputed area, the BRP Teresa Magbanua was pulled out from Escoda Shoal due to its questionable seaworthiness, lack of supplies for the crew, and the bad weather condition, according to the PCG.

BRP Teresa Magbanua 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 kms off Palawan and is within the Philippines' 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Beijing had been calling on the Philippines to remove the BRP Teresa Magbanua from Escoda Shoal as its presence supposedly violated Chinese sovereignty.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has said that it lodged a formal protest over the presence of the Philippine ship in Escoda Shoal.

Reclamation activities

Following the talks between the Philippines and China with no breakthroughs, Año said that there was no need for a deal between the two counties regarding the shoal.

"For Sabina, I don't think kailangan natin ng gan'ung understanding because ang importante lang naman sa Sabina, number one matigil 'yung anumang reclamation na ginagawa dito," he said.

(For Sabina, I don't think we need that kind of understanding because the only important thing for Sabina, number one, is to stop any reclamation that is being done here.)

Second, he pointed out that there were no illegal activities done by any foreign power in Escoda Shoal.

"Pangatlo, [it's important that we] maintain our access and presence because Sabina Shoal is a low tide elevation and it is within our exclusive economic zone," he said.

(Third, [it's important that we] maintain our access and presence because Sabina Shoal is a low tide elevation and it is within our exclusive economic zone.)

"So hindi 'yan high tide elavation, hindi 'yan pupuwedeng maging teritoryo ng anumang country pero under siya sa ating exclusive economic zone. Tayo lang ang mayroong karapatan para i-exploit lahat ng resources dito at siyempre proteksyon 'yung mga mangingisda," he added.

(So that is not a high tide elevation, that cannot be the territory of any country, but it is under our exclusive economic zone. We are the only ones who have the right to exploit all the resources here and, of course, to protect fishermen.)

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 that it had "no legal basis."

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