The Philippines will deploy another vessel to Escoda Shoal following the pullout of BRP Teresa Magbanua in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson on the WPS Commodore Jay Tarriela said on Monday.
“There are other Coast Guard vessels that we intend to deploy to Escoda Shoal. Yes, that’s the plan of the national government,” Tarriela said. He emphasized that the withdrawal of Magbanua does not equate to losing control of the area and promises continued presence at the shoal.
“We have not lost anything,” he added, vowing that “there will be a coast guard presence at Escoda Shoal.”
The BRP Teresa Magbanua was pulled out after sustaining damage and crew illness. Tarriela maintained that this development is merely a repositioning of resources rather than an abandonment of the shoal.
The PCG is working on deploying new vessels soon to ensure ongoing patrols and to deter Chinese reclamation activities.
Recent months have seen Chinese sailors ram, block, water-cannon and even board Philippine vessels, causing damage to the vessel and injuries to Filipino crew.
Manila deployed the BRP Teresa Magbanua in April to stop Beijing from reclaiming Escoda Shoal, but pulled it out after four crew members got sick, and after the ship was damaged in a collision with a Chinese vessel.
Tarriela rejected comparisons to events at Scarborough Shoal, which Manila lost to Beijing after a similar months-long standoff in 2012.
He said Escoda was much larger than Scarborough and insisted China would be unable to stop the Philippines from sending patrols around the 137-square-kilometer(53-square-mile) feature.
“It’s not a defeat,” Tarriela said, disputing suggestions the coast guard was “abandoning our post” at the shoal. “We are just repositioning our vessel,” he said. “It doesn’t mean that coast guard vessels will no longer be deployed there.”
Citing operational security, he would not say how soon the Philippines could send another vessel to the area.
Asked when these ships will be deployed to Escoda Shoal considering that China may conduct reclamation amid the absence of Philippine vessels in the area, Tarriela said it will not take that long.
“Maybe it won’t take that long. The PCG is planning out the deployment as soon as possible without disclosing the operational details of our plan,” he said.
For Tarriela, BRP Teresa Magbanua accomplished her mission to deter China from conducting reclamation activities and protect the marine environment in Escoda Shoal.
Escoda, 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).
Meanwhile, National Maritime Council (NMC) spokesperson Vice Admiral Alexander Lopez told Manila Standard that the Philippines will relay the cost of damage to China using the communication channels of the PCG, Department of Transportation and Department of Foreign Affairs.
