(Updated)
After a five-month long deployment, the Philippine Coast Guard’s (PCG) flagship vessel – BRP Teresa Magbanua (MRRV-9701) – has left Escoda (Sabina) Shoal after a challenging stretch it suffered at the hands of Chinese vessels.
BRP Teresa Magbanua left around 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14 (Philippine time), according to maritime security analyst Mr. Ray Powell, director of SeaLight, a maritime transparency initiative of the Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation at Stanford University.
“I have been monitoring its movements up until it passed the southern tip of Palawan late last night. After that, it seems to have turned off its AIS [automatic identification system] broadcasts,” Powell told the Manila Bulletin on Sunday, Sept. 15.
In a related development, the National Maritime Council (NMC) and the PCG confirmed BRP Teresa Magbanua's departure from Escoda Shoal.
Commodore Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesperson for WPS, said BRP Teresa Magbanua "was compelled to return to port due to unfavorable weather conditions, depleted supplies of daily necessities, and the need to evacuate personnel requiring medical care."
"This has been further complicated by the structural damage to the vessel resulting from the deliberate ramming by the China Coast Guard on August 31, 2024," he said.
Four crew members were carried on a stretcher when it arrived at the port around 2 p.m. They suffered from stomach pain, dehydration and arthritis.
The PCG ommended the officers and men aboard BRP Teresa Magbanua for their "steadfast presence has played a crucial role in countering illegal activities that threaten our marine environment and thwarting attempts by other state actors to engage in surreptitious reclamation in the area."
BRP Teresa Magbanua had been deployed in Escoda Shoal since April 15.
The PCG’s 97-meter-long multi-role response vessel is expected to arrive in Palawan where she will be welcomed by coast guard officials.
Critical food supply, ramming
BRP Teresa Magbanua had a challenging time last month. At least eight maritime incidents were recorded by the national government in the WPS in August, including five in Escoda Shoal.
The latest and most serious was when a China Coast Guard (CCG) ship rammed BRP Teresa Magbanua thrice while the latter was patrolling in the vicinity of Escoda Shoal on Aug. 31.
Chinese vessels also blocked a resupply mission to Escoda Shoal on Aug. 26, leaving the crew of BRP Teresa Magbanua on critical food supply and other essentials.
“The TM’s [BRP Teresa Magabanua] position was always going to be very difficult to sustain indefinitely. It’s an important operational PCG ship, and thus, needs to be maintained and resupplied regularly in order to remain so,” Powell said.
“China had effectively quarantined it at Sabina, so that the Philippines’ options were ultimately to either break the quarantine or qithdraw before it ran short of fuel or supplies,” he continued.
Implication
According to Powell, BRP Teresa Magbanua’s departure may temporarily ease the tension in Escoda Shoal, which appears to have been the newest flashpoint in the WPS due to successive confrontations between Philippine and Chinese vessels.
“Most likely, tension will subside for the moment around Sabina Shoal, of course,” he said.
“However, Philippine officials have made clear that they intend to continue to defend Philippine sovereign rights and China’s goal remains to consolidate its control. So that may be just a momentary interlude,” he added.
On Sept. 11, officials from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs met for the 10th Bilateral Consultation Mechanism (BCM) meeting on the South China Sea in Beijing, where they had “frank and candid” talks on Escoda Shoal.
Powell also weighed in on the possibility of China parking its own vessels in Escoda Shoal to prevent BRP Teresa Magbanua or other Philippine ships from returning.
“China already has had dozens of vessels at Sabina. The question is how many will I tleave there now that the TM [BRP Teresa Magbanua] has left. Probably some, but not as many as it has had.
Last week, the Philippine Navy (PN) said it monitored 207 Chinese vessels in the WPS, including 68 in Escoda Shoal, which was the biggest number of vessels deployed by the Asian superpower in recent history.