Chinese coast guard, navy, and maritime militia vessels flocked Escoda (Sabina) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), the Philippine Navy (PN) disclosed on Tuesday, Sept. 17.
The week-long monitoring of the PN from Sept. 10 to 16 revealed that there were 157 Chinese vessels in the WPS, which is lower than the record-high 207 vessels during the Sept. 3 to 9 monitoring, according to PN spokesperson for WPS Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad.
For the latest monitoring, there were 26 China Coast Guard (CCG) ships, seven People’s Liberation Army – Navy (PLA-N) warships, 123 Chinese maritime militia vessels (CMMVs), and a Chinese research and survey vessel (CRSV) operating in the WPS.
Specifically, in Escoda Shoal, there were nine CCG ships, four PLA-N warships, and 52 CMMVs.
Other features with presence of Chinese vessels include Bajo de Masinloc, Ayungin Shoal, Pag-asa Island, Lawak Island, Panata Island, and Iroquois Reef.
Trinidad attributed the decrease to the bad weather condition in the area, which is also the reason for the retreat of Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) ship BRP Teresa Magbanua from Escoda Shoal last Saturday.
“If you notice, the decrease is more on the features that are in the northern part of the Kalayaan Island Group which is the area more affected by the weather disturbance. We could attribute this to the weather,” he said.
The PN assured the public that despite the departure of BRP Teresa Magbanua from Escoda Shoal, the military has maintained its presence in the key low-tide elevation located 75 nautical miles (140 kilometers) from Palawan as it is a rendezvous point for their resupply mission to navy ship BRP Sierra Madre, which has been beached in Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal.
“We have increased the presence of our aircraft and capital ships all over the expanse of the West Philippine Sea in accordance with the Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept,” Trinidad said.
“We assure the Filipino people that your Philippine Navy, Philippine Air Force, and Philippine Army, the entire leadership of the AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines, is doing its best to protect and secure all our features in the exclusive economic zone, most especially in the West Philippine Sea,” he added.
Check-up for distressed crew
Meanwhile, the PCG said that the 63-member crew of BRP Teresa MAgbanua underwent a comprehensive medical check-up at the Puerto Princesa Port in Palawan on Tuesday.
The Coast Guard Nursing Service (CGNS) also conducted psychosocial and mental health assessment to the sailors.
“It is a way to ensure the crew’s health and welfare after their five-month deployment in Escoda Shoal,” said Lieutenant Commander Efren Duran Jr., commanding officer of BRP Teresa Magbanua.
Duran vowed that once the crew members have recuperated and the ship is repaired after it was rammed by a CCG vessel last Aug. 31, they will come back to Escoda Shoal.
“We want to go back there after the ship is repaired,” he said.
“We are doing this not only for the Philippines but for the entire world because we are implementing the international law,” he added.
China drove the crew of BRP Teresa Magbanua to extreme hunger and thirst after it blocked a resupply mission to Escoda Shoal on Aug. 16. Two weeks later, a CCG vessel rammed the PCG ship while patrolling the vicinity of Escoda Shoal.
The PCG vessel was forced to retreat to Palawan last Saturday due to scarce food supply, damage sustained by the ship, and bad weather condition.
China continues to make its presence felt in the WPS despite a 2016 arbitral ruling which invalidated its dash-line claims in the South China Sea, including the WPS.