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No 'Scarborough Shoal Part 2' in withdrawal from Escoda Shoal: NMC

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<div><ivs-player data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-vid="3068765"></ivs-player></div><script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script><p>MANILA — The withdrawal of Philippine Coast Guard patrol ship BRP Teresa Magbanua from Escoda Shoal will not lead to a repeat of China’s taking control of Scarborough Shoal in 2012, the policy-setting National Maritime Council said on Monday.</p><p>Speaking on ANC’s Headstart, NMC spokesperson Alexander Lopez said the coast guard will maintain its presence at the shoal.</p><p>“Actually, as we speak, [another ship] is on its way,” Lopez said while declining to give details.</p><p>&quot;Our point is we are going to go back there and we will cover the area.&quot;</p><p>The Magbanua’s withdrawal from Escoda Shoal last Saturday had raised questions on how the Philippines would maintain its presence in that part of the West Philippine Sea.</p><p>“Scarborough Shoal is a lesson learned on our part. That’s why our government will ensure that there will be no ‘Scarborough Shoal Part 2’ that will happen,” he said.</p><p>China has restricted access to Scarborough Shoal, the site of a standoff between Philippine and Chinese vessels in 2012 after the Philippine Navy tried to arrest poachers at the traditional fishing ground in the West Philippine Sea.</p><p>The Philippines withdrew from the shoal as part of a supposed agreement to lower tension in the area. China did not.</p><p>Lopez did not go into detail, but said the Philippines will use diplomatic and peaceful mechanisms, work with like-minded nations, and rely on international law to resolve issues in the West Philippine Sea — the part of the South China Sea in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.</p><p>“We anchor our position on [the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea] and, of course, the 2016 arbitral ruling. Those are our strengths, those are our weapons so to speak,” Lopez said.</p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/9/14/nsc-says-philippines-not-a-us-pawn-after-china-s-crush-threats-1521">READ: NSC says Philippines not a US pawn after China&#x27;s &#x27;crush&#x27; threats</a></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><br/></div><div><strong>WHY BRP TERESA MAGBANUA HAD TO SAIL HOME</strong></div><p>The Magbanua was deployed to Escoda Shoal in April over reports of environmental damage and indications that China might start reclamation activities there.</p><p>With Chinese ships blocking attempts to resupply the Magbanua, Lopez said the PCG had to decide to have the ship sail back to Palawan for replenishment and to provide medical care to crew members.</p><p>The coast guard ship had also been damaged after it was rammed by a China Coast Guard ship in late August.</p><p>At one point, supplies had to be flown in by helicopter. although, Lopez said, &quot;the quantity that was delivered there would not suffice the number of personnel on board.&quot;</p><p style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal">Lopez, a former Philippine Navy officer, said the primary reason for the ship&#x27;s pullout was the need for medical care for members of the crew. Handout video released on Sunday showed crew members being carried off the Magbanua in stretchers.</p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><br/></div><p style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal">He said that bad weather had kept the Philippines from sending a replacement ship before the Magbanua headed back to her home port.</p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><br/></div><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display:flex;max-width:550px;width:100%;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1835287705330307506&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fnews-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com%2F%23%2Fworkspace%2Fmonitoring%3Fitem%3Durn%3Anewsml%3Anews-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com%3A2024-09-16T02%3A19%3A34.313330%3Ae23ad1a7-15b7-45eb-a0b3-38e65bab2063%26action%3Dedit%26popup&amp;sessionId=0f5495edde0e61e8666d02affe0ebe0faf97ce47&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&amp;width=550px" style="position:static;visibility:visible;width:550px;height:601px;display:block;flex-grow:1" data-tweet-id="1835287705330307506"></iframe></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8"></script><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><br/></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><strong>WHAT&#x27;S NEXT?</strong></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><br/></div><p style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal">Lopez assured the public that the Philippines will maintain its presence in the West Philippine Sea, but clarified that that does not mean Philippine ships have to be permanently stationed near features like Escoda Shoal, which he said covers an area equivalent to the cities of Manila, Navotas, Malabon and Caloocan combined.</p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><br/></div><p style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal">&quot;What we need to do is monitor, what we need if a good maritime domain awareness,&quot; he said, referring to the ability to keep tabs on what is happening in Philippine waters and respond accordingly.</p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><br/></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/6/30/tech-from-canada-to-help-philippines-track-dark-ships-in-its-waters-2103">READ: Tech from Canada to help Philippines track &#x27;dark&#x27; ships in its waters</a></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><br/></div><p style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal">He said, though, that the Philippines &quot;strategic presence will be there [and] we will show our flag&quot; at Escoda Shoal and across the West Philippine Sea.</p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><br/></div><p style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal">&quot;We dont speak of outlasting each other, but rather of keeping our mandate in the area,&quot; Lopez said, adding the Philippines will protect its sovereign rights &quot;in any possible way.&quot;</p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><br/></div><p style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal">The government has so far rejected the possibility of including ships from treaty ally the United States or from other security partners in Philippine resupply missions in the West Philippine Sea.</p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><br/></div><p style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal">It has however held joint sails and other maritime exercises with foreign navy and coast guard vessels.</p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><br/></div><p style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal">&quot;It’s a policy of our government that we will not ask the assistance of any other ally as long as we can manage it, as long as we can do it ourselves,&quot; Lopez said, having foreign escorts &quot;does not speak well of our dignity also as a nation.&quot;</p><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><br/></div><div style="margin-bottom:0px;line-height:normal"><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/4/9/resistance-to-china-should-not-lead-to-militarization-of-west-ph-sea-group-1147">RELATED: Resistance to China should not lead to &#x27;militarization&#x27; of West PH Sea — group</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2C2IKudCGYQ?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>Speaking on ANC’s Headstart, NMC spokesperson Alexander Lopez said the coast guard will maintain its presence at the shoal.</p>

Speaking on ANC’s Headstart, NMC spokesperson Alexander Lopez said the coast guard will maintain its presence at the shoal.