Senate President Pro Tempore and defense committee chairperson Jinggoy Estrada emphasized Sunday that Escoda Shoal in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) is within Manila’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), denying Beijing’s infringement claims.
Estrada issued the statement amid fresh demands from China to withdraw the Philippine Coast Guard’s (PCG) BRP Teresa Magbanua, which has been stationed in the atoll for nearly four months now.
“There is no reason for us to withdraw our vessel, which was anchored in response to suspected reclamation activities of China,” said Estrada. He underscored it is China that actually encroaching on the Philippines’ EEZ, not the other way around.
China has been accused of seeking full control over the Escoda Shoal and the broader Spratly or Kalayaan Islands in the region using its military and naval forces, which has drawn strong condemnations from many countries.
Estrada noted the Philippines’ sovereign rights over the area are “non-negotiable” and any challenges to these rights are “baseless.” He reaffirmed his support for the PCG and the Filipino troops, declaring, “Atin ito at ipaglalaban natin ito (This is ours and we will fight for this).”
The senator also referenced the 2016 arbitral ruling, which invalidated China’s nine-dash line claims and upheld the Philippines’ EEZ rights in the WPS, urging China to respect these boundaries and engage in peaceful dialogue.
China refers to Escoda Shoal as Xianbin Jiao. The shoal is clearly within the Philippines’ EEZ as declared under international law since the area is geographically closer to it at 123.6 nautical miles from the island of Palawan.
