MANILA, Philippines — Six Catholic bishops in dioceses near fisher communities have issued a rare appeal for the government to bring the full might of the law against Chinese vessels harassing Filipino fisherfolk, backing international action to stem China’s “forcible occupation” of Philippine maritime zones.
In a joint pastoral exhortation on Sunday, the Catholic bishops said that “all legal means must be exhausted” to fend off China’s destruction of the Philippines’ marine resources, which in turn have “wrought havoc on the lives of our fisherfolk.”
“(And) if present diplomatic endeavors do not suffice, then it is permissible – morally necessary even - to have recourse to the friendship of allies who can help us defend what is ours,” the statement read.
The joint pastoral exhortation was signed by Socrates Villegas, archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan (Pangasinan); Bartolome Santos Jr., bishop of Iba (Zambales); Daniel Presto, bishop of San Fernando (La Union), Socrates Mesiona, apostolic vicar of Puerto Princesa (Palawan); Broderick Pabillo, apostolic vicar of Taytay (Palawan); and Fidelis Layog, auxiliary bishop of Lingayen-Dagupan.
The Church leaders stressed that aggressive incursions of Chinese vessels into the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone have brought “widespread destruction of coral reefs, marine sanctuaries and the habitat of fish and sea-dwelling animals” and “has wrought havoc on the lives of our fisherfolk.”
“Before the forcible occupation of our maritime zones, fishermen did not have to go very far to be able to harvest the riches of the sea that provided for their needs and those of the members of their families,” the statement read.
Now, the bishops wrote, Filipino fisherfolk have to risk their lives by venturing far into the open sea just to bring home catch.
Even then, they “still face the threat of being bullied by Chinese fishing and naval vessels that, by their size and power, can easily outmaneuver and frighten our fishermen in their bangkas and lampitaws (boats),” the statement read.
The Catholic leaders warned that a “policy of appeasement” only brings trouble to Filipino fishers who are at the mercy of the “tall tale claims” spun by “Chinese aggressors.”
“It has only emboldened it, as it makes more inroads into our marine sanctuaries and maritime zones, displacing our own fisherfolk from fishing grounds from which they have traditionally harvested the wealth that the sea then had to offer,” they added.
“We seek peace, and it cannot be a moral option to wage war. But neither is it just for the leaders of our country to allow our own fisherfolk to be driven out of fishing grounds over which international law recognizes our rights,” they also said.
In 2023, the Philippine Coast Guard had increased its documentation of Chinese harassment of Filipino vessels in the Philippines’ maritime zone, as well as expanded its presence through patrol operations and assisted in the resupply missions for the Armed Forces of the Philippines, among others.
The Philippines has also forged stronger partnerships in developing the PCG and explored joint patrols with other countries like the United States, Japan Australia, South Korea and Germany, among others.
In December 2023, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said that there would be a "paradigm shift" with how the Philippines responds to China, noting that traditional diplomatic means have failed to settle the country's issues with the East Asian giant in the tense waterways.
The president’s statement came after Chinese naval assets water cannoned PCG vessels during its resupply mission to BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal.
“We gratefully acknowledge statements of resoluteness about defending the resources God, in his munificence, has made available to us through the sea. But words are NOT enough,” the bishops wrote.