Palace wants sanctions for Chinese vessel that rammed Filipino boat
MANILA, Philippines — Echoing the remarks of Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Malacañang called on Chinese authorities to investigate the collision between a Chinese fishing vessel and a Filipino fishing boat in the West Philippine Sea.
The Defense chief denounced the actions of the Chinese vessel for leaving the Filipino vessel that sank after the collision on June 9.
Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo called the act of desertion "inhuman as it it barbaric" and pointed out that it is a violation of maritime protocols.
"We call on the appropriate Chinese authorities to probe the collision and impose the proper sanctions to the Chinese crew," Panelo said in a statement.
The Malacañang spokesman added that the Chinese crew's abandonment of 22 Filipino fishermen at sea was an infringement of the internationally accepted practice of assisting a vessel in distress.
"Regardless of the nature of the collision, whether it was accidental or intentional, common decency and the dictates of humanity require the immediate saving of the crew of the downed Philippine vessel," Panelo said.
Leaving the Filipino crew, which were aboard an anchored and stationary vessel, was an "uncivilized" and "outrageous" behavior for the Chinese ship, Malacañang stressed.
Panelo added that the maritime dispute between the Philippines and China should not have been an impediment for the offending party to assist the distressed Filipinos.
The incident occurred in the vicinity of Recto Bank in the West Philippine Sea, a part of the South China Sea within the Philippine exclusive economic zone. This area is also being considered for the possible joint oil and gas exploration between Manila and Beijing.
"The safety of the crew of the damaged Filipino vessel should have been the uppermost thought and helping them should have been the natural reaction of the crew of the other vessel," Malacañang said.
According to Panelo, concerned agencies of the Chinese government are now providing assistance to the Filipino crew after the sinking of their boat.
A Vietnamese fishing vessel which was in the area rescued the 22 Filipino fishermen and brought them to the Armed Forces of the Philippines' Western Command.
The Philippine government had expressed its gratitude to the captain and crew of the Vietnamese ship for saving the lives of the distressed Filipinos.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., meanwhile, said Vietnam's rescue of the Filipino fishermen would be the basis of enhanced military cooperation between Manila and Hanoi.
"I TAKE MY CUE FROM DEFENSE SEC LORENZANA. WHAT IS CONTEMPTIBLE AND CONDEMNABLE IS THE ABANDONMENT OF THE CREW TO THE ELEMENTS," Locsin tweeted Wednesday night.
Chinese vessel sinks Philippine boat in Recto Bank —Lorenzana I TAKE MY CUE FROM DEFENSE SEC LORENZANA. WHAT IS CONTEMPTIBLE AND CONDEMNABLE IS THE ABANDONMENT OF THE CREW TO THE ELEMENTS. VIETNAM'S RESCUE WILL BE THE BASIS OF ENHANCED VIENTAM-PH MILITARY COOPERATION.
— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) June 12, 2019
The United States Navy's Nimitz-class nuclear powered supercarrier USS John C. Stennis continues underway in the South China Sea.
The US Pacific Command just reported that it has received "cargo" from support ship USNS Rainier in the disputed waters.
#GreatGreenFleet's USS @Stennis74 receives cargo from USNS #Rainier in the #SouthChinaSea - @US7thFleet pic.twitter.com/MnJWrow6Vv
— U.S. Pacific Command (@PacificCommand) June 10, 2016
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources conducts an aerial maritime inspection over Scarborough Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc on Thursday, according to a report of PTV.
PTV says BFAR is checking if the southeast portion of Bajo de Mansinloc remains free from illegal and hazardous floating barriers.
Earlier this week, the Philippine Coast removed the chains surrounding the entrance of Bajo de Masinloc installed by the China Coast Guard. — PTV
The National Security Council condemns the installation of the floating barriers of the China Coast Guard in Bajo de Masinloc, PTV reports on Monday.
“It ruled categorically that such action by the PRC violated the traditional fishing rights of our fishermen in the shoal who have been fishing there for centuries," NSC Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya says.
"Any State that prevents them from doing artisanal fishing there violates UNCLOS and international law, in general,” he adds.
PTV reports that BRP Antonio Luna of the Philippine Navy and HMCS Ottawa of the Royal Canadian Navy conducted a joint sail in the West Philippine Sea on Sept. 21.
“The joint sail is part of the Philippine Navy's regular engagements with its partners in the Philippines' maritime zones. Bravo Zulu to all the personnel of both ships and those who planned this activity," Ltc Enrico Gil Ileto, Public Affairs AFP chief says.
WATCH: BRP Antonio Luna of the Philippine Navy and HMCS Ottawa of the Royal Canadian Navy conducted a joint sail in the West Philippine Sea on Sept. 21. (????: AFP Wescom) | via Bea Bernardo (1/2) pic.twitter.com/DmJguzJSiF
— PTVph (@PTVph) September 22, 2023
Ahead of the second State of the Nation Address of President Ferdinand Marcis Jr, the descendants of the Bai sa Condor and Anta sa Tebouk, on behalf of the Iranun in the Philippines composed of 16 sultans, formally declares ownership of the Spratly Islands and the Scarborough Shoals as patrimony from their ancestors.
The declaration of ownership is led by Sultan Tomas Reyes Cabili, Jr. as part of the advocacy of the Tomas Ll. Cabili Foundation (TLC Foundation).
"TLC Foundation is doing this for our country’s sake as a whole on our claim for what is ours. Not just for our Muslim brothers and the Moro Origins of Mindanao (IRANUN), BUT for all the Filipinos - and the next generations to come. All the Philippines’ descendants of the Iranunis unfurling the historical dimension of the Spratlys and the ScarboroughShoals to strengthen the Philippines' claim on them and complement the theoretical frameworks already presented in the United Nations," Cabili says.
Raymond Powell, project lead at the Gordion Knot Center for National Security Innovation, tweets that China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels "maneuvered dangerously close" to two Philippine Coast Guard ships on a resupply mission at Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea last week.
In a tweet, Powell identifies the ships as BRP Malabrigo and BRP Malapascua. He says these were escorting a small-boat resupply mission to the Philippines' outpost aboard BRP Sierra Madre and were met by an armada of CCG and militia ships, as well as a possible navy vessel.
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