PCG to stay in Sabina Shoal despite intimidation of China's ''Monster'' ship
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) assures that it will not leave Escoda Shoal in the West Philippine Sea despite the presence of China's world largest Coast Guard Ship called "The Monster" since Wednesday.
"Regardless how many China Coast Guard vessels that they deploy there ? regardless whether it’s a People Liberation Army Navy vessel, the Philippine Coast Guard will not be intimidated or not going to pull back and direct (BRP)Teresa Magbanua (MRRV-9701) to go back to Palawan," PCG Spokesperson on the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela said Saturday.
"With the clear guidance of our president and the intention of the commandant of the Philippine Coast Guard to maintain our presence in Escoda Shoal, we’re not going to pull out and we’re not going to be intimidated," he added.
Tarriela said the ''Monster'' ship of China arrived and anchored at the vicinity of Escoda Shoal on July 3.
"Now it only has a distance of 800 yards away from BRP Teresa Magbanua. So, the China Coast Guard monster ship now is on the starboard side of the 9701 and we still don’t know what their intention was," he said.
"We have been challenging their presence through radio calls, telling them that the place where they anchored is actually part of the exclusive economic zone of our country and that they do not have jurisdiction in that area," he added but noted that the CCG are not responding to question about their intention, and claim that "they are doing is a legitimate operation" in the area.
Tarriela said BRP Teresa Magbanua, one the largest ships of PCG acquired from Japan, has been staying in the area of Sabina Shoal for over two months. Robina Asido/DMS
