PCG: Latest harassment near Bajo de Masinloc happened before PH-China talks

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Monday said it cannot say that there is an escalation on the part of China as the latest harassment incident near Bajo de Masinloc occurred before the agreement of the Philippines and China to de-escalate tensions in the West Philippine Sea.

“We cannot say that this is an escalation on their part,” Commodore Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, said in an interview on GTV’s Balitanghali.

“Meron naman na tayong pag-uusap na naganap noong January 17 kung saan both parties would choose not to escalate the tension between the Philippines and the Republic of China,” he added.

(We had talks with them last January 17 where both parties agreed they would choose not to escalate the tension between the Philippines and China.)

Bajo de Masinloc is also known as Scarborough Shoal or Panatad Shoal.

Seashells

Tarriela said that the incident — where the CCG ordered the Zambales fishermen to return the shells they collected from the sea — occurred on January 12, five days before the talks regarding deescalation of tensions in the West Philippine Sea.

He said that while the fishermen were collecting seashells, the CCG launched a rubber boat carrying five CCG personnel who drove away the fishermen and told them to return the seashells.

“Masakit daw sa pakiramdam ng mga Pilipino na itong simpleng seashells na na-gather nila ay uutusan sila ng mga Chinese no na ibalik sa dagat,” Tarriela said.

(It’s hurtful on their part because they were told by the Chinese to return these simple seashells they gathered.)

“They basically [grew] old, kinatandaan na nila ‘yung pangingisda sa area na ito, and this is the first time that they were asked na ibalik itong mga seashells na ito. All through their life, ito na ‘yung talagang pangkabuhayan nila. At obviously this falls within the exclusive economic zone of our country,” he added.

(They basically grew old, spent their whole lives fishing in this area, and this is the first time that they were asked to return the seashells. All through their life, this is their livelihood. And obviously, this falls within the exclusive economic zone of our country.)

According to Tarriela, the PCG is still getting the affidavits of the Filipino fishermen.

He said that the agency will coordinate with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in monitoring such situations.

“Siguro this time, we’re going to have much more coordinated presence dito sa BDM to ensure na kung hindi man 24/7 ma maintain ng Coast Guard, at least BFAR vessel can be able to supplement ‘yung mga instance na nasa rotational deployment ng ating mga barko,” he said.

(We may have a much more coordinated presence here in BDM to ensure that if the Coast Guard cannot maintain it 24/7, the BFAR vessel can supplement the instance where boats are under rotational deployment.)

De-escalate tensions

During talks held in Shanghai for a regular bilateral consultation meeting last week, Philippine Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Theresa Lazaro and Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Nong Rong “had frank and productive discussions to de-escalate the situation in the South China Sea and both sides agreed to calmly deal with incidents, if any, through diplomacy,” a Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) statement said.

“They also agreed that continuous dialogue is important to keep peace and stability at sea,” it added.

A vital trading and shipping lane, the South China Sea, dotted with rocks, shoals and reefs where rich oil and mineral deposits were found, is claimed in part or in whole by the Philippines, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan. Parts of the waters within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone have been renamed West Philippine Sea. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News