Philippines Coast Guard has started patrolling the controversial Scarborough Shoal in the disputed South China Sea.

The coast guard said that it had started patrols at the disputed territory last week. It also confirmed that two patrol ships are currently deployed at at the Scarborough Shoal, which is commonly known as Panatag Shoal in Philippines.

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"The patrol vessels, including newly-acquired 44-meter BRP Tubbataha and monitor, control and surveillance (MCS) 3010 boat, arrived at the disputed territory last Saturday," Philippines Coast Guard commandant Rear Admiral William Melad said. "The ships have already contacted the PCG headquarters and reported that sea condition in the disputed shoal was bad and they sighted only one Filipino fishing boat."

Melad further informed that six coast guard ships will be involved in patrolling the shoal. Out of which, three will be patrolling the controversial territory on a regular basis, while the other three will be used for monitoring and surveillance purposes.

"Their deployment to the Scarborough Shoal is in compliance to the instruction of Department of Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade for the PCG to conduct patrol at the Exclusive Economic Zone," he added.

The Scarborough Shoal has been the center of a long standing bitter territorial dispute between the Philippines and China. In July, the Hague-based International Court of Arbitration had ruled in favor of the Philippines with regard to its territorial dispute with China over the ownership of the South China Sea. Beijing, which continues to stake claim over 80 percent of the territory, rejected the ruling and called it illegal and 'null and void.'

TagsSouth China Sea, South China Sea Dispute, Philippines, china, Scarborough Shoal