The ‘monster’ ship of China Coast Guard (CCG) is hanging around Escoda (Sabina) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), according to Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson for WPS Commodore Jay Tarriela, contradicting previous reports that it had left.
The PCG official also confirmed the presence of a 135-meter CCG ship with hull number 5303 within the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
The Chinese vessel was spotted some 60 nautical miles west of Lubang Island on July 14, as revealed by former United States Air Force Colonel and maritime security analyst Raymond Powell.
“As of 7:30 in the morning, the CCG ship with hull number 5901 remains inside Escoda Shoal,” Commodore Tarriela said in an interview over the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum on Wednesday.
“The second ship, 5303, came close to Lubang Island. I would like to confirm that it was also true. We also monitored that it was moving away towards Palawan and is no longer there in Lubang Island,” he added.
Last week, Powell revealed in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that “CCG 5303 ended [its] two days of loitering activity off of Lubang Island yesterday, but is extending its intrusive patrol even closer to the Philippines’ coastline.”
“It is now moving 35 to 40 nm (nautical miles) from northern Palawan near El Nido,” he added.
Tarriela said the PCG is now closely monitoring China’s monster ship and has already deployed BRP Melchora Aquino in response to the other ships moving toward Palawan.
