The Philippine Navy did not give up Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal to China in the 2012 standoff. Its warship was ordered out two days after the impasse began that April to resume an original mission in northern Luzon waters. And that was only on arrival of Philippine Coast Guard patrols to continue confronting the proliferating Chinese gunboats and poachers. This was clarified by then-Navy Flag Officer in Command Adm. Alexander Pama. “We did not retreat, we did not withdraw; we were, in military parlance, relieved in place,” Pama told Sapol-dwIZ Saturday. “Never did the Navy back out of any challenge.” “Relief in place” is “an operation in which, by direction of higher authority, all or part of a unit is replaced in an area by the incoming unit. The responsibilities of the replaced elements for the mission and the assigned zone of operations are transferred to the incoming unit. The incoming unit continues the operation as ordered.” (thefreedictionary.com)

Bondoc, J. (2021, May 26). Navy did not give up Panatag to China former chief clarifies. The Philippine Star, p. 7.