BRP Teresa Magbanua (MRRV 9701), the biggest ship of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), has been deployed to Escoda (Sabina) Shoal to prevent alleged attempt by China to build another artificial island in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), according to a PCG official.
The 97-meter multi-role response vessel has been guarding the shoal for 26 days already as of Saturday, May 11, said PCG spokesperson for West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela.
BRP Teresa Magbanua was deployed to the shoal on April 18 upon the orders of PCG Commandant, Adm. Ronnie Gil Gavan, when PCG and marine scientific experts from the University of the Philippines (UP) noticed the dumping of dead and crushed corals on the sandbars of Escoda Shoal, as if there was an attempt to build an elevated feature resembling a small island.
"It's very alarming because Escoda Shoal is just 75 nautical miles from the coastline of Palawan. Ganyan na sila kalapit ngayon (That's how near the [Chinese vessels] are right now)," Tarriela said at the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City.
"Our main objective here is to catch them (Chinese vessels) dumping dead corals over these sandbars," he added.
During the entire period that BRP Teresa Magbanua has been guarding Escoda Shoal, Tarriela said they have monitored the presence of three People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy vessels with bow numbers "622", "537", and "570"; four China Coast Guard (CCG) ships including "4402" and "3303" which have been frequently deployed to deny resupply missions to Ayungin Shoal; and 34 Chinese maritime militia (CMM) vessels.
"These vessels are getting near and nagpapalagi na sila sa (they have been frequenting) Escoda Shoal. Hindi na sila umaalis (They are no longer leaving the area)," Tarriela noted.
Aside from its proximity to Palawan, Escoda Shoal is also the rendezvous point for the resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and PCG. It is where the resupply boats chartered by the AFP meet their escort vessels from the PCG to bring supplies for troops onboard BRP Sierra Madre.
Tarriela said the dumping of dead and crushed corals on the sandbars of Escoda Shoal was similar to the "island-building activities" done in Sandy Cay in the Kalayaan Island Group (Spratly Islands) in September 2023.
Despite this, Tarriela vowed that the PCG will defend Escoda Shoal from alleged reclamation activities by China.
He said they also fielded two 44-meter vessels, BRP Cabra and BRP Malabrigo, to conduct rotational deployment from Escoda Shoal to Rozul Reef in Recto (Reed) Bank, which the PCG official said is also being swarmed by Chinese vessels.
"The PCG Commandant, Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan, expressed commitment to the NSA (National Security Adviser Eduardo Año) and the National Task Force for West Philippine Sea that we will have a prolonged presence in Escoda Shoal," Tarriela said.
China has yet to respond to this matter.