Despite being deployed in Escoda (Sabina) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) for more than two months already, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel BRP Teresa Magbanua (MRRV-9701) will not be deliberately grounded there like what the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) did with Philippine Navy warship BRP Sierra Madre (LS-57) in Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal.
Commo. Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesperson for WPS, said this on Saturday, July 6, as he insisted that BRP Teresa Magbanua won’t be a “second BRP Sierra Madre.”
“I think describing [BRP] Teresa Magbanua as the second [BRP] Sierra Madre is a misplaced demonstration of appreciation of troops,” Tarriela said in a press briefing.
BRP Teresa Magbanua, a 97-meter multi-role response vessel that was acquired by the Philippines from Japan, is the flagship vessel of the PCG. It is the most advanced and expensive asset in the inventory of the PCG and her sister ship is BRP Melchora Aquino (MRRV-9702).
Meanwhile, BRP Sierra Madre is a dilapidated World War II-era warship that was intentionally ran aground off Ayungin Shoal in 1999 to serve as a permanent military outpost and stake the country’s claims over the area.
“[BRP] Sierra Madre is a grounded vessel. Ibig sabihin kahit anong gawin natin, hindi na talaga maaalis ‘yan dyan (This means that whatever we do, we can no longer remove it there),” the PCG officer said.
On the other hand, Tarriela said that BRP Teresa Magbanua “remains to patrol and remains to be moving,” not stationary.
“Ibig sabihin nakakagalaw, may fuel (It means that it can move, it has fuel) and it just stays there guarding our own national interests,” he added.
Read: China’s ‘monster’ ship inches closer to PCG vessel in Escoda Shoal
BRP Teresa Magbanua has been stationed in Escoda Shoal, located at 75 nautical miles from the coastline of Palawan, since April 18 or more than two months now. This has been the longest deployment of a PCG vessel in the WPS.
The Japan-made MRRV was deployed after the PCG received reports that reclamation works were being carried out in Escoda Shoal following the discovery of dead and crushed corals dumped on the disputed feature.
China has criticized the presence of BRP Teresa Magbanua in Escoda Shoal as it claims the area as its own, accusing the Philippines of establishing a permanent outpost there.
In response, China sent China Coast Guard vessel “5901”, supposedly the largest coast guard vessel in the world, to keep watch over BRP Teresa Magbanua since July 3.
Tarriela said that the deployment of BRP Teresa Magbanua does not mean that the PCG is establishing a permanent outpost in Escoda Shoal.
“Outpost is something permanent. This is a vessel that patrols the Escoda Shoal and the immediate vicinity of Escoda Shoal,” he said.
He said the Filipinos “should be happy” that the PCG was showing the Philippine flag in the area of Escoda Shoal amid the intimidation of Chinese vessels.
“To interpret it in a way that China will have a different perspective of saying it’s just another military outpost, I think it’s wrong,” Tarriela noted.