Alejano: Chinese Navy harassed Bataan fishermen

Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano on Monday said Filipino fishermen were harassed not by a Chinese Coast Guard speedboat but by a Chinese Navy ship in Mariveles, Bataan last week.

Alejano revealed this after visiting some of the local fishermen there over the weekend, following recent reports that quoted a group of them claiming that a Chinese Coast Guard speedboat circled them near Union Reef and made warning shots to drive them away. 

“According to initial reports, it was the Chinese Coast Guard that was involved in the Union Bank incident. However, in our meeting with the fishermen themselves, we were able to know that it was actually a Chinese Navy ship,” he said in a statement.

Quoting the fishermen, Alejano said they saw a gray speed boat at Union Bank, carrying a crew of seven officers wearing camouflage that “resembles” that of the China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy.

The fishermen also noted that the crew of the said speed boat were “Chinese-looking people who were speaking in a language not understandable to them,” and a “big gray ship was nearby watching over,” he added.

Moreover, the fishermen said they “noticed that there were already erected concrete building structures which were not present last year.”

The gray speed boat approached the Pinoy fishermen about half an hour after they dropped their anchor, “and immediately fired shots into the air.”

The fishermen cut off the anchor of their fishing vessel to sail away, but they were “chased down” by the speed boat “while firing shots into the air.”

Mutual Defense Treaty

Alejano expressed concern over the said incident, saying the “aggressive act of the Chinese Navy could trigger the Mutual Defense Treaty.”

“There is a danger that the situation may escalate,” the lawmaker said, pointing out that it was the Coast Guard’s duty to enforce maritime law, while the Navy functions for “warfighting.”

Alejano’s visit to the Mariveles fishermen came after he urged the Philippine government to file “a strong diplomatic protest” against China, in light of the said incident.

Alejano said these acts “constitute a violation of our sovereignty and territorial integrity that we must all protect and defend.” He noted that the area where the fishermen were “is well within our Exclusive Economic Zone.”

Both Malacañang and the Department of Foreign Affairs have said they will verify the report.

For its part, China’s Foreign Ministry said they will look into the said report.

“I honestly do not know anything about what you said. You yourself mentioned that the vessels are unidentified, and all sides are in the process of verifying the situation. China also need to check on that,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said in a press conference. 

He added that China remains “consistent and clear” about working with the Philippines “to properly deal with relevant maritime issues.”

Not the first incident

During his visit, Alejano said the fishermen told him it wasn’t the first incident they encountered, but that they were never oriented by local government agencies about the territorial disputes and how it affects them.

Only weather agency PAGASA kept in touch with the fishermen to provide updates, since the Philippine Coast Guard “only uses short-distance radio,” Alejano said.

“The fishermen even bragged that they are much advanced than PCG because they have a marine band that connects them internationally. This observation by the fishermen reveals the shortcomings of the PCG that needs to be addressed, most especially in light of the present maritime dispute,” he said. — RSJ, GMA News