The men were arrested aboard three Chinese-registered boats intercepted by the Navy in the channel between Basilan island and the port of Zamboanga, Naval Forces Western Mindanao Combined (NAVFORWMCOM) chief Rear Admiral Emilio Marayag said.
Marayag said the arrested fishermen denied they were poaching and said they were only passing through the area en route to China from Indonesia when their vessel ran low on fuel.
The Navy doubts the fishermen’s claims and believe the Chinese fishermen were poaching in Philippine waters.
The boats were escorted to Zamboanga after they were intercepted on March 17. The crew remained on the boats under guard as the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) prepared to file criminal charges against them.
"If found guilty, they will be fined $100,000," Marayag told reporters. The Department of Foreign Affairs is notifying the Chinese embassy in Manila of the arrests, he added.
Marayag said Chinese fishermen are to be charged with violating Section 87 of the Republic Act 8550 Fishery Code: "The law cited that the mere presence of any foreign fishing vessels in Philippine waters is construed (as) poaching under prima facie evidence."
The Regional Committee on Illegal Entrants under Chief Superintendent Jaime Caringal and the Bureau of Immigration also discovered that some of the fishermen had expired passports.
Marayag said pending the filing and court decision the Chinese fishermen and their fishing boats will remain under their custody. – Roel Pareño, AFP