China ‘Monster’ intimidating PCG into leaving shoal, says spokesperson

China Coast Guard 5901/ Monster ship passing BRP Teresa Magbanua in Sabina Shoal on July 3, 2024. PHOTO FROM PCG

The world’s largest coast guard ship owned by China came close to the BRP Teresa Magbanua to intimidate the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel into sailing away from Escoda (Sabina) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, Commodore Jay Tarriela, the PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, said on Friday.

The 165-meter China Coast Guard (CCG) ship with bow number 5901, nicknamed “The Monster,” has been anchored at Escoda since July 3, maintaining a close distance to the Teresa Magbanua at the shoal, Tarriela said in a statement.

The PCG’s largest and most modern vessel has been stationed at Escoda since May this year in response to the presence of Chinese maritime militias and the reported Chinese reclamation activities in the area. Tarriela said the 12,000-ton Chinese ship left Hainan Island in China on July 1 and entered the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) the following day.

READ: Chinese overwhelmed Filipinos at Ayungin

On July 3, “it traveled directly” to Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal and later proceeded to Panganiban (Mischief) Reef, he said. It was later monitored heading toward Escoda, Tarriela said.

Radio challenge

The Teresa Magbanua crew issued a radio challenge to CCG 5901, saying that it was operating within the Philippines’ EEZ.

Tarriela said the Chinese vessel came as close as 500 yards (about half a kilometer) to the Teresa Magbanua.

He said that as of Friday, CCG 5901 was still in the vicinity of Escoda.

“The reason why the Monster Ship was deployed in Escoda Shoal is to intimidate our 9701 (BRP Teresa Magbanua),” he said.

The stationing of the Teresa Magbanua at Escoda, Tarriela said, was the longest deployment so far of a PCG vessel in the West Philippine Sea.

Last week, The Monster sailed near the grounded warship BRP Sierra Madre, the Philippine military outpost at Ayungin, and came as close as 63 kilometers (34 nautical miles) from the coastal town of El Nido in Palawan.

Tarriela said it also “directly encroached” on the territorial waters of the Philippine-occupied features of Parola and Pag-asa Islands, “violating our sovereignty.”

Fresh message

Philippine Navy retired Rear. Adm. Rommel Jude Ong, a professor at the Ateneo School of Government, told the Inquirer this week that the presence of China’s monster ship in the country’s EEZ was Beijing’s way of sending a fresh message to Manila that it owns almost the entire South China Sea.

READ: Marcos: PH won’t yield West Philippine Sea

He said it was “obviously a ‘show the flag’ mission to convey the message that our exclusive economic zone is theirs.”

China’s “intrusive patrols” in the West Philippine Sea came two weeks after the June 17 attack by the members of the CCG against Filipino sailors on a resupply mission to Ayungin. The assault seriously wounded one sailor who lost a finger. The Chinese also confiscated rifles and deliberately damaged equipment on Navy boats used to deliver supplies to the Sierra Madre.

The military has condemned the attack as “barbaric” and demanded that China pay P60 million in damages.

Will match weapons

In case the Chinese launches another assault, Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said on Thursday that Filipino troops would fight with the same weapons used by the attackers in self-defense.

During the June 17 attack, the Chinese wielded bolos, knives, spears, used tear gas, high-pitched sirens, and high-powered strobe lights to disrupt the resupply mission.

“What we’ll do is we will apply the same level of force that would allow us to defend ourselves,” Brawner said at a press briefing.

He said that if Filipino troops are attacked with knives, they will also use knives to defend themselves.

“That’s the concept of proportionality. We will not shoot them,” he said.

Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad, the Philippine Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, earlier said that Filipino troops would not fire the first shot against the Chinese. “We abide by the rules. Our approach is always rules-based, our approach is guided by the rules of engagement, our approach is aboveboard, above ground, which everyone can see,” Trinidad said.