Chinese ships continue to gather at Escoda (Sabina) Shoal while a replacement for the Philippine Coast Guard’s BRP Teresa Magbanua heads toward its waters.
National Maritime Council spokesperson Vice Admiral Alexander Lopez announced that the Philippines will no longer publicly disclose ship details to avoid aiding China, which has stationed vessels in the area west of Palawan.
Lopez declined to say whether it was a coast guard or a Philippine Navy ship, saying only that it was “already there or close to Escoda Shoal” and that it was not yet experiencing any harassment from the Chinese.
“The important thing is that the ship has sailed and is conducting its mission of maritime patrol and to get information and document whatever illegal activities are there,” he said.
“We are adjusting because we all saw how China reacted when we said BRP Teresa Magbanua was anchored there. We made operational adjustments.”
Ray Powell, director of SeaLight at Stanford University, reported on X that eight Chinese militia ships were moved from Panganiban (Mischief) Reef to Escoda, and two more were sent to Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal, along with a China Coast Guard vessel spotted southwest of Palawan.
“What generated this sudden activity is unclear,” he said, also describing the Qiong Sansha Yu ships as paramilitary vessels masquerading as fishing boats.
According to the Armed Forces of the Philippines, nine CCG vessels, four Chinese warships and 52 maritime militia vessels were swarming Escoda on Sept. 16, two days after the PCG’s BRP Teresa Magbanua left the shoal after nearly five months of deployment.
Escoda, about 139 km west of Palawan province, has become the latest flashpoint in the maritime dispute between the Philippines and China.
