WITH China’s newest policy against “trespassers” in place, Filipino fishermen expressed apprehension over possible arrest and detention by the Chinese Coast Guard – unless the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) joins them in their fishing expedition at the West Philippine Sea.
Tropical Fish Gatherer Association president Joeffrey Elad particularly sought the presence of the PCG when sailing at the Bajo de Masinloc where a fleet of Chinese vessels have been regularly spotted.
According to Elad, it would be better to be escorted by the PCG amid fear that they would end up being detained for fishing in an area that is well within the 200-nautical mile Philippine exclusive economic zone.
“Kasi kung hindi natin babalikan and Bajo de Masinloc, baka lalo lang mawawala sa aming mangingisda ‘yung bahura na yun,” Elad was quoted as saying in a television interview.
“Baka kami ang masampolan na mahuli at madala sa China, kaya tiis-tiis lang kami,” he further averred.
Sometime last Month, Beijing made an announcement about a new policy empowering the Chinese Coast Guard to arrest – and detain them by as much as 60 days without trial – trespassers in an area which China insisted as theirs.
Prior to China’s new maritime policy, Filipino fishermen from Masinloc town in Zambales said that they would usually spend a week at the Bajo de Masinloc to harvest fish. However, most of them have chosen to stay ashore amid China’s arrest order on “trespassers.”
As this developed, PCG in a statement said that they have already reinforced presence in the West Philippine Sea along with the Philippine Air Force which deployed pilots to fly over the disputed region.
Retired Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio for his part called on local fishermen to continue fishing and assert their rights in Philippine territory.
“Continue with your right, kasi that’s the only way you can assert your right. Pag natakot ka, talo ka,” the retired magistrate noted.
The government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Saturday formally asked the United Nations to adjust the Philippine boundary farther into the disputed South China Sea, amid the increasingly aggressive actions taken by China despite the Permanent Court of Arbitration’s 2016 ruling which invalidated China’s nine-dash line.
Based on DFA data, a total of 153 diplomatic protests have already been filed by the Philippine government against China since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s assumption to power. (ANGEL F. JOSE)
