'Phl did not give up Escoda'

The Philippines is not giving up Escoda Shoal.

- HELEN FLORES

Another Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) ship is on its way to replace the BRP Teresa Magbanua, whose departure from the area has fanned speculations that the country has given up the land feature being claimed by China.

“Definitely, another coast guard vessel will be – actually, as we speak – is on its way. As to what kind of vessel, I cannot divulge that information,” National Maritime Council (NMC) spokesman Alexander Lopez told ANC yesterday.

He stressed that the return of Teresa Magbanua to its homeport in Palawan on Sunday was intended mainly to allow some of its crew to undergo medical checkup and treatment.

In an interview at Malacañang also yesterday, Lopez said President Marcos’ instruction is for the PCG or the Navy to maintain presence in the reef, known internationally as Sabina Shoal.

The shoal is located 75 nautical miles from the coastline of Palawan and is within the Philippines’ 200-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

“We don’t give up anything. Even though Teresa Magbanua left (Escoda), it did not diminish our presence there because there is another way to monitor, cover the area,” he said in Filipino.

“When you say presence, that’s strategic presence, not just physical presence,” Lopez added.

Strategic presence does not mean deployment of more than one ship in Escoda Shoal, which is as big as the combined area of Manila, Navotas, Malabon and Caloocan, Lopez said.

“That area is too big. What we need to do is monitor. What we need to do is come up with a good maritime domain awareness, meaning a good picture of what’s happening at the West Philippine Sea, not only in Escoda, but the whole of the West Philippine Sea,” he said.

Some quarters were claiming that by pulling out the Teresa Magbanua from Escoda, the Philippines had “blinked” in its stare-down with China over the land feature.