There was no infringement on the part of the Philippines on China’s territory in the Escoda Shoal as the government exercises sovereign rights over the area, Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada said on Sunday, August 18. 

“There is no infringement of China’s territory in the Escoda Shoal,” Estrada said in a statement.

“The area where our Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel, BRP Teresa Magbanua has been stationed for nearly four months now, falls within our exclusive economic zone (EEZ) as defined by international law. Therefore, there is no reason for us to withdraw our vessel which was anchored in response to suspected reclamation activities of China,” he said.

The senator was reacting to a report the Chinese Foreign Ministry has lodged a formal complaint against the PCG ship BRP Teresa Magbanua at the said location claiming that the area—Xianbin Jiao—is part of China’s Nansha Qundao.

However, Estrada noted it is China that is encroaching on the country’s EEZ, “not the other way around.”

“Their primary objective seems to be to establish full control of the shoal with their own Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessels and maritime militia, without any presence from us,” he lamented.

Estrada said he stands by the statement of the PCG and troops on the matter. 

“I stand by our troops on this matter. Our sovereign rights over this particular area is non-negotiable and any attempts to challenge it are baseless. Atin ito at ipaglalaban natin ito (This is ours, let’s fight for it),” he said.

“Our claims are backed up by the 2016 arbitral court ruling which already invalidated China’s nine-dash line claims and upheld our EEZ rights in the West Philippine Sea.  We urge China to respect these boundaries and engage in peaceful dialogue to resolve disputes,” Estrada reiterated.