China's big coast guard ship remains in Escoda Shoal
China's coast guard ship, said to be the world's largest, did not leave the vicinity of waters off Escoda (Sabina) Shoal for two weeks now, a Philippine Coast Guard official reported Wednesday.
This was confirmed by PCG Spokesperson on the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela in an interview at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay on Wednesday morning.
“We have reported since last week that we monitored the presence of this CCG monster ship inside the Escoda Shoal anchored at a distance around 600 yards away from BRP Teresa Magbanua,” he said.
“I would like to confirm that as of 7:30 in the morning, the last image that I got from our Coast Guard personnel from 9701, the CCG monster ship remains to be inside the Escoda Shoal. It never departed and is still anchored there,” he added.
Tarriela said since the ship, called The Monster, started to anchor in the area since July 3, "it has become a periodic thing (for personnel) on board (BRP Teresa Magbanua, MRRV) 9701 to challenge their (Monster ship) presence every hour whenever they are having an activity."
Tarriela also rejects China's claims that the Philippines has permanently stationed the BRP Teresa Magbanua in Escoda Shoal.
"Permanent station is not also applicable to (BRP) Teresa Magbanua, it is still patrolling the area of Escoda Shoal. It is only the Chinese government that is claiming that we have permanently positioned BRP Teresa Magbanua in Escoda Shoal," he said.
"They (China) forgot the fact that in our Coast Guard inventory (BRP) Teresa Magbanua is the most expensive vessel for us so we cannot afford breaching BRP Teresa Magbanua there. BRP Teresa Magbanua is not a permanent station; it is still operational; it still patrols the immediate vicinity of Escoda Shoal," he added. Robina Asido/DMS
