‘BRP Magbanua there to monitor illegal activities’
THE Armed Forces and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) yesterday justified the presence of Philippine government vessels at a shoal in the West Philippine Sea, which is well within the country’s 200 nautical miles exclusive economic zone.
The two agencies made the statement after China lodged a diplomatic protest against the Philippines for the continued presence of a PCG vessel, BRP Teresa Magbanua, at Escoda Shoal, also known as Sabina Shoal, which is about 70 nautical miles from mainland Palawan.
“The map would show how close we (Philippines) are to Escoda Shoal… That (shoal) is very near Palawan,” AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla told a radio interview.
BRP Teresa Magbanua was deployed to the shoal in April after PCG divers discovered a pile up of crushed corals, which authorities said were proof of China’s small-scale land reclamation in the area.
“We discovered their suspicious activities, the unnatural pileup of crushed corals there. We are there to prevent the additional (pileup of corals), prevent suspicious activities from happening there,” said Padilla.
“So our Philippine Coast Guard is already there,” said Padilla, adding that the Armed Forces is in the general area “to assist the Coast Guard in any eventualities, if need be.”
“We continue to conduct patrols in the area. Our Navy vessels are there to patrol our territory and of course, our AFP forces are on standby (to respond) to any event that requires our assistance, if needed,” said Padilla.
The Chinese Coast Guard has also maintained its presence at Escoda Shoal, initially deploying its so-called “monster ship” on July 3. China replaced the world’s largest coast guard vessel with a smaller one just last August 10.
PCG spokesman for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela stressed that the shoal is within the country’s 200 nautical miles EEZ provided to coastal states under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
“Our Philippine Coast Guard vessels have the right to operate within the lagoon of Escoda Shoal for as long as necessary, without requiring permission from any other country,” he said in a statement.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian has said China protested the prolonged presence of the PCG vessel at the shoal, through diplomatic channels. He asked the Philippines to “stop its infringement activities and withdraw the vessel at once.”
DOC
Tarriela disputed China’s claim that the deployment of BRP Teresa Magbanua violates the 2002 Declaration of Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and such deployment poses severe threat to peace and stability in the region.
Tarriela said the PCG deployment at Escoda Shoal is “not (meant) to provoke or escalate tensions.”
“Rather, it aims to protect and safeguard our sovereign rights over these waters, particularly against illegal poachers engaged in IUUF (illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing) and activities that damage our marine environment,” he said.
Tarriela said China should stop citing the DOC in opposing the PCG presence at Escoda Shoal “as they have not honored or followed a single provision of that declaration.”
Under the DOC, the parties have agreed to “undertake to exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities that would complicate or escalate disputes and affect peace and stability including, among others, refraining from action of inhabiting on the presently uninhabited islands, reefs, shoals, cays, and other features and to handle their differences in a constructive manner.”
Pending settlement of the territorial dispute, the parties also agreed to “intensify efforts to seek ways, in the spirit of cooperation and understanding, to build trust and confidence between and among them.”
“As far as the region is concerned, it is only Beijing that constantly violates this declaration.
They have been deploying their large Coast Guard vessels there, complemented by their numerous Chinese maritime militia,” Tarriela said.
“Additionally, they have deployed their naval assets in Escoda Shoal, and these actions undermine stability in these waters and contribute to escalating tensions,” he added.
INFRINGEMENT
Senate President pro tempore Jinggoy Estrada said the Philippine Coast Guard has not infringed on China’s territory because Escoda Shoal is within the Philippines’ 200 nautical miles exclusive economic zone.
“The area where our Philippine Coast Guard 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,” said Estrada, chairman of the Senate Committee on National Defense.
“It is China encroaching on our EEZ, not the other way around,” he added.
Estrada said China’s primary objective in shooing away the PCG is apparently to establish full control of the shoal with its own Chinese Coast Guard vessels and militia ships “without any presence from us.”
He said the country’s claim to Escoda shoal is “non-negotiable” and attempts to challenge it are baseless.
“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,” he said.
“We urge China to respect these boundaries and engage in peaceful dialogue to resolve disputes,” he added.
China claims almost all of the South China Sea, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei, and rejects a 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague that its expansive claims had no basis under international law.
Chinese vessels have been harassing Philippine ships in the West Philippine Sea, particularly at Ayungin Shoal where it has been blocking resupply missions for Philippines troops.
Earlier this month, two Chinese multi-role fighter aircraft conducted dangerous maneuvers and dropped flares in the path of a Philippine Air Force NC-212i plane doing routine maritime patrol over Scarborough Shoal, also known as Bajo de Masinloc and Panatag Shoal, which is about 124 nautical miles from Zambales.
China gained control of Scarborough Shoal after a standoff with Philippine government vessels in 2012.
Scarborough is one of Asia’s most contested maritime features and a flashpoint for flare-ups over sovereignty and fishing rights. — With Raymond Africa
