The Philippine government will continue to make its presence felt at the Escoda Shoal amid reports that the Chinese Coast Guards’s biggest ship has been staying in the area.
Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, said they have been in constant coordination with the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to make sure that a Philippine ship remains at the Escoda Shoal.
The Escoda Shoal, or the Sabina Shoal, is a coral reef formation, is located around 75 nautical miles or about 140 kilometers off Palawan, which makes the area well-within the country’s 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
“Every now and then, we are coordinating with the (Philippine) Coast Guard and they ensure that there will be a replacement Coast Guard vessel or Navy vessel in the area,” said Trinidad in an interview over dzBB.
Earlier, PCG spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela said they continue to monitor the presence of the Chinese Coast Guard’s largest ship at the Escoda Shoal in the past two weeks.
Trinidad confirmed Tarriela’s information, saying that the CCG’s ship is still anchored at the Escoda Shoal as of Wednesday, July 17, monitoring. He added that the CCG’s ship is around five to eight miles away from the PCG vessel in the area.
“We continue to challenge its presence there, we continue to monitor them, and we are aware of their presence, ” said Trinidad.
He explained that the presence of Chinese Coast Guard within the Philippine EEZ is not something new and exclusively done for the Philippines since it is also doing the same on Korea and Japan, and even the Alaskan side of the US territory.
But he said the PCG will remain at the Escoda Shoal to protect the marine environment amid a monitored pile up of crushed corals.
“Our presence there is to ensure that the reported pile up of crushed corals which was reported a few months back was not man-made and that it will not be repeated again,” said Trinidad.