Pinoy fishermen recount harassment by Chinese Coast Guard in Panatag Shoal
Local fishermen in Bajo de Masinloc, also called Panatag Shoal, recounted on Wednesday how they have been harassed by Chinese Coast Guard since 2012.
“Bubugawin ka, papaalisin ka. Flag lang naman ang gamit nila, wala naman armas... Pero inaabangan ako palagi ng barko nila, hindi ako makalapit,” recounted fisherman Efren Furones in an exclusive interview aired on GMA News' “24 Oras” Wednesday evening.
Ricardo Magno, meanwhile, was among the group of fishermen who experienced the water cannon attack by the Chinese Coast Guard on January 27, 2014.
“Hindi na kami umalis, nagmatigas na rin kami. Parang gusto nilang banggain (ang bangka namin), halos dalawang dangkal nalang tatamaan na nila yung bangka namin e...Nung nakita nila na ayaw talaga namin umalis, kinuha nila yung hose, itinapat sa'min, kala siguro aalis kami. Nung hindi parin kami umalis ayun pinasiritan kami ng tubig,” Magno said.
Another fisherman, Tolomeo Forones, meanwhile decided to augment his income by driving a tricycle, as the tension in the disputed shoal continues.
“Yung kikitain mo sa loob ng isang linggo, hahanapin mo na ngayon sa loob ng limang buwan,” he lamented.
Forones also attested to rich marine resources in the Panatag Shoal, also called Scarborough Shoal.
“Yung natitikman ng mayayaman kaya mo din tikman 'pag nandun ka, makakain ka ng lobster, lapu-lapu,” he said.
The fishermen said harassment by Chinese authorities begun after a standoff between the Philippine military and the Chinese Coast Guard broke in April of 2012, “24 Oras” reported.
A video taken on May 26, 2012, showed Chinese vessels with markings “Chinese Marine Research” trying to bar for several times a smaller vessel of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) from plying the shoal. The video also revealed that a boring line was set up by Chinese authorities. The boring line is considered a trap that can destroy the propeller of a ship. The following day, a helicopter and a rubber boat of China also took photos of the BFAR vessel, “24 Oras” reported.
Meanwhile, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said patrol operations in the area are continuous, but there is no need to deploy military troops yet.
“We will react appropriately, depende sa sitwasyon...Sa sitwasyon ngayon, it does not merit a military response,” said AFP spokesperson Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala.
Malacañang, meanwhile, rejected the call of the Chinese government for bilateral negotiations in connection with the alleged recent harassment of Filipino fishermen, insisting it would instead pursue the arbitration case it filed before the United Nations (UN) in January last year.
“We have already made a solid case before the international community. Our approach has also been lauded by most of the members of the international community as far as the path of arbitration that we have chosen to take,” said deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte.
Panatag Shoal lies 220 kilometers (135 miles) off Zambales and is considered a traditional fishing ground by local fishermen. It is about 650 kilometers from China's Hainan island-province. — Elizabeth Marcelo /LBG, GMA News
“Bubugawin ka, papaalisin ka. Flag lang naman ang gamit nila, wala naman armas... Pero inaabangan ako palagi ng barko nila, hindi ako makalapit,” recounted fisherman Efren Furones in an exclusive interview aired on GMA News' “24 Oras” Wednesday evening.
Ricardo Magno, meanwhile, was among the group of fishermen who experienced the water cannon attack by the Chinese Coast Guard on January 27, 2014.
“Hindi na kami umalis, nagmatigas na rin kami. Parang gusto nilang banggain (ang bangka namin), halos dalawang dangkal nalang tatamaan na nila yung bangka namin e...Nung nakita nila na ayaw talaga namin umalis, kinuha nila yung hose, itinapat sa'min, kala siguro aalis kami. Nung hindi parin kami umalis ayun pinasiritan kami ng tubig,” Magno said.
Another fisherman, Tolomeo Forones, meanwhile decided to augment his income by driving a tricycle, as the tension in the disputed shoal continues.
“Yung kikitain mo sa loob ng isang linggo, hahanapin mo na ngayon sa loob ng limang buwan,” he lamented.
Forones also attested to rich marine resources in the Panatag Shoal, also called Scarborough Shoal.
“Yung natitikman ng mayayaman kaya mo din tikman 'pag nandun ka, makakain ka ng lobster, lapu-lapu,” he said.
The fishermen said harassment by Chinese authorities begun after a standoff between the Philippine military and the Chinese Coast Guard broke in April of 2012, “24 Oras” reported.
A video taken on May 26, 2012, showed Chinese vessels with markings “Chinese Marine Research” trying to bar for several times a smaller vessel of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) from plying the shoal. The video also revealed that a boring line was set up by Chinese authorities. The boring line is considered a trap that can destroy the propeller of a ship. The following day, a helicopter and a rubber boat of China also took photos of the BFAR vessel, “24 Oras” reported.
Meanwhile, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said patrol operations in the area are continuous, but there is no need to deploy military troops yet.
“We will react appropriately, depende sa sitwasyon...Sa sitwasyon ngayon, it does not merit a military response,” said AFP spokesperson Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala.
Malacañang, meanwhile, rejected the call of the Chinese government for bilateral negotiations in connection with the alleged recent harassment of Filipino fishermen, insisting it would instead pursue the arbitration case it filed before the United Nations (UN) in January last year.
“We have already made a solid case before the international community. Our approach has also been lauded by most of the members of the international community as far as the path of arbitration that we have chosen to take,” said deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte.
Panatag Shoal lies 220 kilometers (135 miles) off Zambales and is considered a traditional fishing ground by local fishermen. It is about 650 kilometers from China's Hainan island-province. — Elizabeth Marcelo /LBG, GMA News
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