According to the Philippine Coast Guard, surveys conducted in Escoda Shoal reef revealed visible discoloration of its seabed, strongly indicating that deliberate activities may have been undertaken to modify the natural topography of its underwater terrain.
A statement by PCG Spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, CG Commodore Jay Tarriela, notes that the presence of crushed corals strongly suggests a potential act of dumping, possibly involving the same dead corals that were previously processed and cleaned before being returned to the seabed.
Furthermore, the continued swarming for an indiscriminate illegal and destructive fishing activities of the Chinese Maritime Militia in Rozul Reef and Escoda Shoal may have directly caused the degradation and destruction of the marine environment in the WPS features, the Philippine Coast Guard stated.
PHILIPPINE COAST GUARD CONFIRMS EXTENSIVE MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE IN AREAS FREQUENTED BY CHINESE MARITIME MILITIA
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) fully supports and confirms the report released by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Western Command (WESCOM), exposing… pic.twitter.com/poK8DFjDNC
— Jay Tarriela (@jaytaryela) September 17, 2023
