PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered the military to maintain a presence in the disputed Escoda (Sabina) Shoal following the pullout of the BRP Teresa Magbanua, the National Maritime Council (NMC) said Monday.
'The President's directive is to maintain our presence in Escoda Shoal,' NMC spokesman Vice Adm. Alexander Lopez told reporters. 'When we say presence, [this refers to] strategic presence and not just physical presence. I just want to make clear that our presence is not limited to sending a single ship there. That's not it.'