MANILA — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Sunday said there was "no reported adverse situation" at Escoda Shoal  (Sabina Shoal) in the West Philippine Sea following the country’s deployment of a new patrol mission there.

Coast Guard Adm. Ronnie Gil Gavan did not give other details of the deployment, but said Chinese vessels continue to loiter at Escoda Shoal, a 136-square-kilometer reef about 70 nautical miles from Palawan mainland and within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

“We will be maintaining our strategic presence all over the country,” Gavan told reporters in a chance interview at PCG Headquarters in Manila. 

“We are everywhere.”

READ: NSA: New ship sent to Escoda Shoal to replace BRP Teresa Magbanua

In a separate interview on Teleradyo Serbisyo, Coast Guard Rear Adm. Armando Balilo, PCG spokesperson, confirmed that the Philippines has sent a coast guard vessel to the area.

“Meron tayong patrol operations doon sa area at ‘yan ang tinitiyak natin sa mga kababayan natin at hindi po magpapabaya ang coast guard sa pagpa-patrol do’n sa area,” Balilo said.

(We have patrol operations in the area and we assure the public that the coast guard will not neglect to patrol that area)

Ray Powell, director of South China Sea monitor SeaLight, told ABS-CBN News he could not see any Philippine ships at Escoda Shoal, adding however that the ships could have turned their automatic identification system (AIS) off to avoid being tracked.

Nonetheless, Powell observed Chinese ships becoming active on Saturday morning, incuding one China Coast Guard vessel racing towards Palawan.

Eight additional Chinese maritime militia ships have also left China’s military base in Panganiban Reef (Mischief Reef) and sailed to Escdoda Shoal.

Chinese ships have been swarming the area even before the PCG’s BRP Teresa Magbanua cut short its Escoda mission.

READ: Over 60 Chinese ships spotted at Escoda after PCG's pullout

National Maritime Council spokesperson Undersecretary Alexander Lopez earlier said the Philippines will now keep details of its patrol mission confidential as part of a new strategy.

“Mas maganda nga iyong nanghuhula sila kung saan. Kasi kapag alam nila kung nasaan, doon sila pupunta eh – parang magnet iyan. So, that is our approach na as much as possible na hindi natin i-reveal kung nasaan sila,” Lopez said in a Saturday media forum in Quezon City.

(It is better to keep them guessing where we are, because if they know where the Philippine ships are, they will go there — it will attract them like a magnet)

He said the Philippines has learned lessons in the West Philippine Sea, including not telegraphing its moves and keeping operational details "close to our chest as much as possible."

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