PH presence in Escoda Shoal backed by UNCLOS: PCG

By Raymond Carl Dela Cruz, Philippine News Agency

In a statement, PCG spokesperson for the WPS, Commodore Jay Tarriela said the deployments of PCG vessels in Escoda Shoal are backed by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). (File Photo: Philippine Coast Guard/Facebook)

MANILA – The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Friday asserted that the presence of their ships in Escoda Shoal in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) is backed by international laws.

In a statement, PCG spokesperson for the WPS, Commodore Jay Tarriela said the deployments of PCG vessels in Escoda Shoal are backed by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

He said claims of a Philippine forward base being built in Escoda Shoal were unfounded and “too absurd to warrant a response.”

“This behavior reveals the mindset and actions of [China]. Their suspicions about the Philippines engaging in such actions stem from their own pattern of unlawfully occupying maritime areas in the South China Sea, followed by illegal reclamation and provocative militarization of those features,” Tarriela said.

China’s accusations, he said, aim to distract from “their unlawful actions and aggressive behavior” such as the deployment of Chinese vessels encroaching on the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

“[China is] making these statements to shape perceptions among their domestic audience and the international community, asserting that they have legitimate claims over the entire South China Sea,” Tarriela said.

To date, he said these vessels include those from the Chinese Coast Guard, Chinese maritime militia, and a Chinese research vessel.