The Philippine Coast Guard vessel BRP Teresa Magbanua has left Escoda Shoal, a disputed area in the South China Sea, following a five-month deployment. This mission, described as successful by National Maritime Council (NMC) Chairperson and Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, marks the conclusion of an extensive operation. The announcement was made on Sunday by the Philippine government in a statement.
The vessel’s primary objective was to defend the Philippines’ sovereignty over the contested region and deter Chinese encroachments. Throughout the deployment period, the BRP Teresa Magbanua endured collisions with Chinese ships, harsh weather conditions, and limited supplies. Its departure comes just five days after the China-Philippines Bilateral Consultation Mechanism on the South China Sea (BCM) meeting held in Beijing on September 11, 2024. However, Philippine officials emphasized that the decision to withdraw was not due to any compromises made during the consultations.
In July 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration at the Hague ruled that some of China’s maritime claims in the South China Sea were unlawful, asserting that these actions violated the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). China has consistently maintained a stance of non-participation and non-acceptance of this ruling and has deemed it “null and void” as pointed out in this report.
Since 2022, Philippine President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr has adopted a more assertive approach against China’s claims over the South China Sea. The rather tense dispute largely focuses on the Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands, which lies within the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and is referred to as the West Philippine Sea by the Philippines. With China’s Coast Guard deploying more aggressive tactics, such as using water cannons against a Filipino resupply boat in March 2024, tensions between the two nations have escalated. President Marcos responded by signing Executive Order (EO) No 57 on March 25, 2024, establishing the National Maritime Council (NMC) to bolster the Philippines’ maritime security amidst the ongoing conflicts.