MANILA (UPDATED) — A marine scientist from the University of the Philippines (UP) on Friday described Escoda Shoal in the West Philippine Sea as an “ecological disaster”.

This assessment comes after a two-day scientific mission conducted with the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Tuesday and Wednesday to evaluate the health of the corals in the area.

"Majority or almost all of the shallow water at Escoda Shoal is devoid of any living corals. There's no space that shows signs of life... That's really an ecological disaster for Escoda," said Jonathan Anticamara, a professor at the UP Institute of Biology.

The findings also revealed extensive coral bleaching, with almost all the corals in various stages of death due to anomalous warming in the West Philippine Sea—temperatures that are significantly higher than average for the area.

This can occur due to natural events like El Niño or human activities that affect the climate.

"Almost hundred percent patay na yung corals and iba-iba yung stages ng pagkamatay. Yung first stage konti na lang sila...yung medyo nag-brighten na yung corals," he said.

READ: Chinese ships in ‘blockade position’ at Ayungin, Escoda

In the next stage, the corals had turned white due to bleaching caused by high temperatures.

The most widespread condition observed was the presence of brown algae covering the dead corals, a stage at which recovery is typically impossible.

He further described the corals as crumbling and fragmenting. 

Anticamara added these dead corals could be used to build islands, a practice done by China in previous years to establish footholds in the Philippine-claimed waters.

"Kung hindi ma-prevent ang pag-move around ng mga fragmented corals na 'yon, very likely that there will be piling up of corals from this… So there will be a lot of materials for building islands basically with this death of corals—so we have to be really careful and have to be very, very vigilant in this," he said.

The scientists also dived in various sites previously explored by Chinese researchers. 

"They dove in a lot of sites all around Escoda Bank. [W]e dont know exactly what they want but certainly they're documenting something in the bank," said Dr. Fernando Siringan, a professor at the UP Marine Science Institute.

RELATED: Escoda Shoal in sorry state after coral dumping for reclamation attempt — PCG

CHINA PLAN FOR THE AREA?

The team observed several sampling pits in the area—suggesting that samples were taken to analyze the materials, possibly to assess the area's stability and hardness.

Siringan mentioned that the Chinese research vessel in the area was equipped with instruments likely used for acoustic surveys. 

"They definitely have a plan in that area—the fact that they’re there in large numbers and they stationed themselves in strategic points and their activities suggest they’re gathering information that can be useful for them in the future,” he said.

The team also documented coral rubble in the area, but have yet to determine the cause.

"May mga coral rubble sa area...puwedeng fully submerged pero pwede din na siya ay emergent whether it's fully natural or partially man-made or may mga kailangan pang i-combine na data sets to be able to say ‘yong definite na conclusion sa part na yun,” Siringan said.

The research mission to the area was hounded by personnel from the China Coast Guard who demanded the Filipinos leave the area and collided their boat with the PCG’s.

CHINA DEPLOYS HOVERCRAFT, HOLDS MILITARY EXERCISE

Meanwhile, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy launched two of its hovercraft as the Philippines conducted a marine scientific research in Escoda Shoal or Sabina Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, the Philippine Coast Guard said on Friday.

In a press conference, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela said the PLA Navy held the exercise amid the marine scientific research, which was conducted from June 3 to 4.

In an unusual move, Tarriela said the PLA Navy vessel with bow number 987 made a radio communication and “informed” the PCG’s BRP Teresa Magbanua of its intention to conduct amphibious drills off Escoda Shoal.

The BRP Teresa Magbanua (MRRV 9701), one of the PCG’s largest vessels, has been stationed in the atoll for nearly two months now in a bid to deter China from conducting illegal activities in the area.

“Interestingly, PLAN 987 contacted MRRV 9701 informing us that they were going to have amphibious drills in those coordinates. It is important for us to take note that before the call to inform BRP Teresa Magbanua, they have already launched their hovercraft. Bago pa sila nag-abiso sa atin na magko-conduct sila ng amphibious operation, they deployed na ang sarili nilang hovercraft,” Tarriela told reporters.

“This is the first time the PCG documented the deployment of a hovercraft in the WPS. They did not just deploy it. Coming from a PLAN vessel and being launched during the amphibious operation is the first time we have documented such activity,” he added.

Tarriela said the drills were conducted some 15 to 20 nautical miles away from the dive sites of the marine scientists.

He, nonetheless, stressed that China has no right to hold the amphibious drills in the area, which is well within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

“Such military exercise or activity of the PLAN is a violation of international law because Escoda Shoal is within our EEZ,” the PCG official said.

The Philippine Navy on Tuesday slammed the PLA Navy for conducting military exercises in Escoda Shoal.

“They have no right to be within our EEZ. The conduct of their exercise is unauthorized under UNCLOS. It’s not allowed,” Philippine Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad told reporters at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.

“I would like to say that their actions are illegal, not within the bounds of international law. The AFP will not be deterred in performing its mandate,” he added.

Escoda Shoal or Sabina Shoal is located 75 nautical miles or 120 kilometers from mainland Palawan.

It serves as a rendezvous point for the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ chartered resupply boats and their escort vessels from the Philippine Coast Guard during regular rotation and resupply (RoRe) missions to the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal.