A Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel deployed to replace BRP Teresa Magbanua, one of the PCG's two biggest ships, is ''patrolling'' the vicinity of Escoda Shoal, a National Security Council (NSC) official said on Thursday.

In a radio interview, NSC assistant director general and spokesman Jonathan Malaya said the vessel is patrolling in Sabina Shoal.

"We will not announce the location, or what kind of vessel but definitely I can say with confidence that (BRP Teresa Magbanua) has a replacement, we now have a Coast Guard vessel that is patrolling Escoda Shoal," he said.

"Our Coast Guard vessel is patrolling to ensure that there are no reclamations, that there are no illegal activities being conducted there at Escoda Shoal and for us to be able to do it we need to have a presence there," he added.

Malaya explained that the return of BRP Teresa Magbanua to Palawan from its over five months deployment to Sabina Shoal is just part of repositioning of the PCG.

"There was just a repositioning, our coast guard personnel onboard (BRP) Teresa Magbanua needs to go home and reprovision, and we were not forced to return due to China. It was us that decided for the return of (BRP Teresa) Magbanua," he said.

"The instruction of National Security Adviser Eduardo Ano was very clear that there should be a replacement and the replacement is now there," he added.

BRP Teresa Magbanua was forced to leave Escoda Shoal on Sept. 15 as its food and water supplies were running low after the China Coast Guard blocked the resupply mission for the PCG personnel onboard the ship.

The PCG also considered the bad weather condition in the area as BRP Teresa Magbanua was damaged after it was rammed by a China Coast Guard ship three times when it tried to move around the shoal on Aug. 31. Robina Asido/DMS