West Philippine Sea: China’s ‘monster ship’ leaves Escoda Shoal – Navy

 THEMONSTER Filipino coast guardsmen aboard BRP Teresa Magbanua catch a glimpse of the largest China Coast Guard ship 5901 from a porthole at Escoda (Sabina) Shoal on July 3. —PHOTO FROM PCG

MANILA, Philippines — China Coast Guard’s (CCG) “monster ship” has left Escoda (Sabina) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, a navy spokesperson said on Tuesday.

Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, confirmed that the CCG ship with hull number 5901 has exited the country’s exclusive economic zone.

However, he did not specify when the ship left the vicinity of the shoal, where the Philippine Coast Guard’s (PCG) BRP Teresa Magbanua maintains a persistent presence.

READ: China’s ‘monster ship’ staying near PCG vessel in West Philippine Sea

“It is no longer off Escoda Shoal,” Trinidad said in an ambush interview after a regular press briefing held at Philippine Air Force headquarters, adding that “no replacement” has been sent for the ship.

When asked if the “monster ship” is still in the country’s EEZ, he said: “No. We have to check its latest location.”

CCG’s gigantic patrol cutter, which is the largest coast guard vessel in the world, had been deployed off Escoda Shoal on July 3.

READ: West PH Sea: No Ayungin resupply since violent June 17 encounter

BRP Teresa Magbanua was deployed in Escoda Shoal on April 16 to become the longest-deployed PCG asset in the West Philippine Sea following suspected reclamation activities around the shoal.

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 country’s 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.