The administration should use its close ties with China to address the reported harassment of Filipino fishermen by Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) personnel and avoid…
The administration should use its close ties with China to address the reported harassment of Filipino fishermen by Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) personnel and avoid escalating any friction with the Asian giant, two senators said on Saturday.
Sen. Gregorio Honasan advised prudence, saying that a recent television report that members of the CCG had seized choice parts of the catch of a group of Filipino fishermen at Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal must be verified.
“Let us not be rash,” Honasan said over dwIZ’s radio’s “Usapang Senado” program.
He said that if the fishermen’s allegations were proven, the government should first inform China’s ambassador. The country also should avoid a “low-intensity confrontation or an armed encounter” with Chinese forces, he added.
Filipino fishermen have reported that CCG personnel routinely take parts of their catch as they watch helplessly, according to the GMA 7 television report.
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Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III said he believed the CCG action was a case of an individual acting against another individual, suggesting that it was not state-sanctioned, although the Philippine government may file a complaint on behalf of its citizen.
Speaking in the same radio show, Pimentel said Filipinos should look at the entirety of Manila-Beijing ties, citing China’s contributions to the Philippines as a top trading partner and as a source of investments, tourists and assistance during calamities.
