The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is dedicated to maintaining a presence in a disputed area of the South China Sea to ensure China does not carry out reclamation activities at the Sabina Shoal, its spokesperson said on Monday.
In the midst of a growing maritime dispute, The PCG said on Saturday that it sent ships to Sabina Shoal, claiming that China was building an artificial island there.
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Since the ship’s deployment in mid April, the PCG said it has discovered piles of dead and crushed coral that had been dumped on the sandbars of Sabina Shoal, altering their sizes and elevation.
PCG spokesperson Jay Tarriela told a press conference on Monday the Coast Guard had to make sure it was able to prevent “China from carrying out a successful reclamation in Sabina Shoal”.
The shoal, which Manila calls Escoda, is within the Philippines’ economic zone. It serves as the meeting point for ships resupplying Filipino soldiers stationed on a grounded warship at the Second Thomas Shoal, the site of regular maritime run-ins between Manila and China.
On Friday, the Philippines called for the expulsion of Chinese diplomats as the dispute over South China Sea continues to escalate.