President Marcos has ordered government forces to maintain a strategic presence in the West Philippine Sea following the return of BRP Teresa Magbanua (MRRV-9701) from the Escoda (Sabina) Shoal, the National Maritime Council (NMC) said.

NMC spokesman Alexander Lopez said this after BRP Teresa Magbanua ended its "successful" but not unscathed five-month mission in the disputed waters.

In an interview with Malacañang reporters on Monday morning, Sept. 16, Lopez said the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) will deploy a new vessel to monitor the area following a directive from the President.

"Ang directive ni Pangulo ay i-maintain natin yung ating presence. Kapag sinabing presence, strategic presence iyon, 'di lang physical presence (The President's directive is for us to maintain our presence. When we say presence, it means strategic and not just physical presence)," he said.

"I just want to clear that kapag sinabi natin presence, magpapadala lang ng isang barko (when we say presence, we will send a ship)," he added.

Lopez explained that one ship is enough to monitor not just Escoda Shoal but the entire West Philippine Sea as this would be augmented with the help of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Philippine Navy (PN), and the PCG.

"Actually, ang isang barko kaya ma-monitor iyon kasi may radar iyon (one ship is enough to monitor it because it has a radar)," he said.

"May (We have) additional help or assets from others such as the PN and even the Coast Guard. Like, for example, nagpapalipad tayo ng eroplano, nagpapalipad din ng eroplano yung AFP... nagpapadala din ng barko (When we send an aircraft the AFP will do the same. It will also send a ship)," he added.

Lopez, however, refused to name which ship would replace BRP Teresa Magbanua in Escoda Shoal.

"Hindi ko muna pwede sabihin ngayon until such time that nakapag-take station yung pinadala ng Coast Guard (I cannot divulge any information until the one sent by the PCG has taken station)," he said.

Not yielding

Despite this, Lopez assured the public that the pullout of BRP Teresa Magbanua from Escoda Shoal did not mean the Philippines gave up its rights on the disputed waters.

"Mali yung ganoon pananaw. Wala tayong gini-give up (That perspective is incorrect. We have not given up anything)," he said.

"Kahit umalis yung Teresa Magbanua doon, it did not diminish our presence there dahil may ibang paraan para i-monitor, i-cover yung area (Even if Teresa Magbanua left, it did not diminish our presence there because we have other means to monitor and cover the area)," he added.

BRP Teresa Magbanua returned to Palawan on Sunday afternoon, Sept. 15, after managing to carry out her sentinel duties against overwhelming odds.

According to Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, BRP Teresa Magbanua challenged an encirclement by a larger flotilla of intruders, and battled inclement weather, with her crew surviving on diminished daily provisions.

Bersamin lauded those aboard BRP Teresa Magbanua for their dedication and that the vessel’s return to the country will allow them to get the necessary medical assistance.

Last month, BRP Teresa Magbanua sustained damages after it was intentionally hit several times by a China Coast Guard vessel.

PCG spokesman Commodore Jay Tarriela earlier said that Escoda Shoal has been an issue for the Chinese government since the Philippines deployed BRP Teresa Magbanua last April 15. China has filed a diplomatic protest for BRP Teresa Magbanua to withdraw from Escoda Shoal.

He added that China also used different platforms to highlight and see this as a semi-grounded or a possible place for creating a formal deployment base.

"As far as the Chinese Coast Guard is concerned, these are their different appreciation of our deployment for Teresa Magbanua," Tarriela said.

"But, as I said, for the Philippine Coast Guard, the reason and objective of the deployment of Teresa Magbanua is only purely for us to carry out a legal and legitimate Coast Guard operation within our own exclusive economic zone," he added.