The Philippine Coast Guard confirmed the presence of China’s 165-meter “monster” ship within Escoda (Sabina) Shoal. 

PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, Commodore Jay Tarriela, said the China Coast Guard’s largest vessel with bow number 5901, is anchored approximately 638 yards away from the country’s BRP Teresa Magbanua (MRRV 9701), as of 7:36 a.m. on Wednesday.

“We have reported since last week that we monitored the presence of this CCG monster ship inside the Escoda Shoal anchored at a distance around 600 yards away from BRP Teresa Magbanua,” Tarriela told reporters in a news forum. 

Citing the PCG’s monitoring data, Tarriela said the CCG’s monster ship anchored at Escoda Shoal since 3 July. 

“So it has become a periodic thing onboard 9701 to challenge their presence almost every hour if we notice they are doing something,” he noted. 

Tarriela said the CCG vessel also challenged back the PCG vessel, claiming China’s sovereignty over Escoda shoal. 

“Again, it’s not their sovereign rights that they are claiming. The weird part is that whenever they challenged us—this CCG’s monster ship—they’re even claiming that they have full sovereignty over this Escoda Shoal,” he added. 

Tarriela earlier said the deployment objective of the PCG’s most expensive vessel “is only to advance our national interest and to safeguard our position in Escoda Shoal.”

He noted the 97-meter multi-role response vessel (MRRV) 9701 was stationed at Escoda Shoal as early as 16 April to monitor the suspected reclamation works by the Chinese in the area.

Escoda shoal lies 75 nautical miles from the coast of mainland Palawan and is considered within the Philippines’ 200 nautical miles exclusive economic zone.