West Philippine Sea: Chinese survey ship no longer at Sabina – PCG

FILE PHOTO: Escoda (Sabina) Shoal. INQUIRER FILES

MANILA, Philippines — The Chinese survey ship that was conducting unauthorized patrols in Escoda (Sabina) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea is no longer in the area, Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Rear Admiral Armand Balilo said on Friday.

The BRP Teresa Magbanua, which has been deployed in the area since April, did not detect the survey ship during their monitoring on Wednesday, August 7.

“Latest report, there are no sightings per RADM Balilo,” a PCG information officer told reporters in a Viber message when asked about the survey ship.

The survey ship was first spotted in Escoda Shoal on July 25, according to West Philippine Sea monitor and SeaLight director Ray Powell.

READ: Chinese survey ship conducts unauthorized patrols in Escoda Shoal

However, the personnel of BRP Teresa Magbanua saw the continuous presence of Chinese ships in the area.

“On 07 August 2024, BRP Teresa Magbanua (MRRV-9701) reported monitoring China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel with bow number 5901, one Chinese militia vessel, and two Chinese rigid hull inflatable boats (RHIBs) in the said vicinity waters,” the PCG said in a statement.

The “monster ship” vessel has been in the area since July 3, and was found to be turning off its Automatic Identification System from time to time to evade detection, according to Powell.

READ: China’s ‘monster ship’ off Sabina Shoal on ‘dark mode’

Beijing’s deployment there comes as Manila maintains a persistent presence in Sabina Shoal.

BRP Teresa Magbanua is now officially the longest-deployed PCG asset in the West Philippine Sea.

It has been stationed in the area since April 16 to monitor for suspected reclamation activities.

Meanwhile, a 44-meter PCG vessel from Buliluyan Port in Palawan brought supplies to the BRP Teresa Magbanua and personnel stationed at other West Philippine Sea features, according to Balilo.

Manila is holding the line in the West Philippine Sea as Beijing asserts sovereignty in almost the entire South China Sea, including most of the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines’ western section, even if such a claim has been effectively invalidated by the arbitral award issued in July 2016.

The landmark ruling stemmed from a case filed by Manila in 2013, or a year after its tense standoff with Beijing over Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, whose lagoon the latter now has an effective control of.