This frame grab from handout video taken on February 8, 2024 and released by the Philippine Coast guard (PCG) on February 11, shows a Chinese coast guard vessel (front R) blocking and sailing past Philippine coast guard ship BRP Teresa Magbanua (back L) near Scarborough Shoal, in the disputed South China Sea. Handout/Philippine Coast Guard via AFP/File

MANILA -- The Philippine Coast Guard needs no permission to stay and operate within the lagoon of Escoda Shoal as it is located within the country's Exclusive Economic Zone, said the PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela.

"Escoda Shoal is located within the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Philippines, in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2016 arbitral award," said Tarriela in a post on X [formerly Twitter].

"Our Philippine Coast Guard vessels have the right to operate within the lagoon of Escoda Shoal for as long as necessary, without requiring permission from any other country," he stressed.

The statement is in reaction to China's move to lodge a protest over the presence of BRP Teresa Magbanua within the vicinity of the shoal. Beijing repeatedly claimed that "Xianbin Jiao" or the Escoda Shoal is part of their "Nansha Islands."

Escoda Shoal or Sabina Shoal is a coral reef formation just roughly 70 nautical miles off Palawan mainland and is deep within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

China files protest over PCG’s presence in Philippine EEZ  

"The entry and prolonged stay of Philippine vessels in the lagoon of Xianbin Jiao without authorization seriously infringes on China's sovereignty, violates the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea," said China in state-controlled media Global Times News.

Tarriela belied China's claim, citing that it is Beijing that is undermining the stability in the region.

"China should stop citing the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, as they have not honored or followed a single provision of that declaration... They have been deploying their large Coast Guard vessels there, complemented by their numerous Chinese Maritime Militia. Additionally, they have deployed their naval assets in Escoda Shoal, and these actions undermine stability in these waters and contribute to escalating tensions," he said. 

He added that the Philippine Coast Guard has been deployed there not to provoke or escalate tensions, but to protect and safeguard the country's sovereign rights, particularly against illegal poachers engaged in activities that damage the marine environment.

Philippines protests China’s flare use 

Meanwhile, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada also released a statement countering China's demand to withdraw BRP Teresa Magbanua from the shoal.

The Senate President Pro Tempore insisted there "there is no infringement of China’s territory in the Escoda Shoal."

"The area where our Philippine Coast Guard vessel, BRP Teresa Magbanua has been stationed for nearly four months now, falls within our exclusive economic zone (EEZ) as defined by international law. Therefore, there is no reason for us to withdraw our vessel which was anchored in response to suspected reclamation activities of China," he said.

"I stand by our troops on this matter. Our sovereign rights over this particular area is non-negotiable and any attempts to challenge it are baseless. Atin ito at ipaglalaban natin ito."

"Our claims are backed up by the 2016 arbitral court ruling which already invalidated China’s nine-dash line claims and upheld our EEZ rights in the West Philippine Sea.  We urge China to respect these boundaries and engage in peaceful dialogue to resolve disputes."

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