''Essential supplies and food requirements'' of BRP Teresa Magbanua: PCG
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) confirmed that the "essential supplies and food requirements" of its crew members onboard the BRP Teresa Magbanua in Escoda Shoal is ''already critical'' level after its resupply mission on Monday failed due to the harassments of the Chinese vessels.
"Based on the notice to all mariners (NOTAM) of the PCG release yesterday... there is a need for us to do a humanitarian mission to provide supplies onboard BRP Teresa Magbanua. It just goes to show that the essential supplies and the food requirements for us to feed our crew onboard BRP Teresa Magbanua already critical," PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela told reporters in Manila on Tuesday.
Tarriela said the last successful resupply mission for BRP Teresa Magbanua was conducted in the "2nd or 3rd week of August" before the Chinese vessels started to increase its presence and aggressive actions in the area.
"If we’re going to look at the behavior of the Chinese Coast Guard, they only started their heightened level of aggression somewhere between 2nd week 3rd week of August. So that means that prior that level of aggression of China to include the intentional ramming and the deployment of excessive maritime forces that means the PCG before never really have difficulty in delivering essential supplies onboard BRP Teresa Magbanua," he said.
He said it is the first time that China deployed excessive number of maritime forces to prevent a resupply operation of the Philippine Coast Guard.
"This is the first time we were able to monitor excessive deployment of maritime forces on the part of the Chinese government to prevent the coast guard from doing the resupply operation," he said.
After the PCG failed to complete its humanitarian mission on Monday, Tarriela admitted that it is difficult on their part to resupply the BRP Teresa Magbanua.
"I will have to admit it is really difficult on the part of the PCG to resupply Teresa Magbanua right now but as far as the PCG is concern we have, were coming up with different strategies to ensure that we can provide essential supplies to our personnel," he said.
Tarriela said the PCG is also capable of doing an airdrop operation which may also use to provide supplies for their personnel in Escoda Shoal.
"The Philippine Coast Guard have aircraft helicopter and also fix wing again that can be a possibility," he said.
It can be recalled that the Armed Forces of the Philippine (AFP) also use airdrop operations to resupply its troops in Ayungin Shoal where its rotation and resupply mission were always being blocked and harassed by Chinese vessels.
"The difference between the level of harassment of Chinese weather in Ayungin or Escoda... I think it’s pretty much the same they still do dangerous maneuver they still carry out intentional ramming, they use water cannon, the Chinese maritime militia is also supporting the Chinese Coast Guard in blocking the movement of Coast Guard vessel so there is no difference at all," said Tarriela.
Despite the escalation of China's aggressive actions towards Philippine vessels in Escoda Shoal, Tarriela assures that the PCG will maintain its presence in the area "regardless of whatever the vessel" they deploy monitor the shoal.
"Were going to maintain our presence in Escoda Shoal regardless of whatever the vessel is, that is because we are afraid that China is carrying out a small-scale reclamation in Escoda Shoal," he said.
Tarriela said among the PCG vessels, so far BRP Teresa Magbanua has the longest deployment in the West Philippine Sea as it has remained in the area since it arrived in Escoda Shoal on April 16. Robina Asido/DMS
