South China Sea: Manila says it has a plan if Beijing seizes Sabina Shoal. What is it?

In a press briefing on Tuesday, navy spokesman Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad told reporters, “I would not like to speculate on the possible security impact of China taking control of the Sabina Shoal. Nevertheless, we are prepared and we have our contingency plans.”

The coastguard ship had been deployed at the shoal – located 146km from Palawan and around 1,200km from mainland China – for five months in order to deter China from pursuing land reclamation and island-building activities in the area.

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