PCG KEEPS AN EYE ON POSSIBLE CHINA’S RECLAMATION ACTIVITIES NEAR PALAWAN

By Junex Doronio

MANILA — Legendary Chinese military genius once said: “Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.”

This seems to be the playbook of China as it has been dumping crushed corals near Escoda (Sabina) Shoal in apparent preparation to build an artificial island on top of the maritime feature, which is much closer to Palawan than the contested Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.

This, however, did not escape from the watchful eyes of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) even as a “swarm” of over 30 Chinese militia vessels, aside from China’s research ships, Navy vessels, and a helicopter, were monitored during the 26 days deployment of BRP Teresa Magbanua at the Escoda Shoal.

“Dito kumbaga nagsisimula pa lang. So kung sasabihin natin na itong pagdu-dump ng coral na ginawa nila sa Sandy Cay has allowed them (China) to expand itong land area, surface area na ito as artificial island, then most likely kung hindi natin imo-monitor ito, at hindi natin babantayan ito, baka sa mga susunod na buwan, magulat na lang din tayo na sa Sabina Shoal, ay malalaki na rin ang mga isla na ginawa nila,” PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea (WPS) Commodore Jay Tarriela said.

He aired suspicion that for its island-building activities, China uses corals as “pantambak (landfill).”

“That means they have to kill all the corals, as many corals as possible, for them to use that as a foundation for their island reclamation,” the PCG spokesman said during the Saturday News Forum at Dapo Restaurant in Quezon City.

For more than 26 days, the BRP Teresa Magbanua, the largest vessel in the PCG fleet, is deployed to Escoda Shoal, just 75 nautical miles or about 139 kms. from the main Palawan island.

In comparison, Ayungin Shoal is 106.3 nautical miles or 197 kms. from Palawan.

The PCG said both Escoda Shoal and Ayungin Shoal are well within the 200-nautical mile (370.4 kms.) Philippine exclusive economic zone (EEZ), parts of which overlap with Beijing’s expansive claims over the South China Sea.

(el Amigo/MNM)