China coastguard taking Pinoys’ fish catch no case for int’l arbitration

Senator Koko Pimentel on Saturday said that the recent incident of Chinese Coast Guard taking Filipino fishermen's  catch from Panatag Shoal does not call for another international arbitration.

"Wala akong nakikitang anong kaso, kasi kung tutuusin nanakawan ang Filipino citizen ng Chinese [citizen] so these are individual versus individual, so walang kaso sa international arena," Pimentel said in a radio interview Saturday.

"Pero since Filipino ang  apektado, ang gobyerno ay pwedeng umangal," he said.

Acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio on Friday said Manila could bring another case against Beijing before the court that invalidated the latter's excessive claims over  the South China Sea, after Chinese Coast Guard was caught on video taking Filipino fishermen's catch in Scarborough (Panatag) Shoal. 

GMA News last Thursday reported fishermen's complaint that the Chinese Coast Guard has made a habit of sorting through their catch without permission and taking the best ones. 

Despite the incident, Pimentel still sees China as the country's ally.

"Oo, kunwari may Pinoy na namatay sa Slovakia ... it doesn’t mean kalaban ng Pinas ang Slovakia. Tingnan mo ang government to government relations," the senator said.

Amid recent incidents of alleged aggression by China in the disputed West Philippine Sea, Pimentel said the Duterte administration is making efforts to assert our claims in the disputed waters.

"Alam ko, naririinig ko at nakausap ko si Sec. [Alan] Cayetano, nagpo-protest tayo 'di lang inaanunsyo kasi sensitive, can be verbal or written," he said.

"Kumikilos po ang DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) siguro sa mata ng iba kulang kasi gusto nilang makita ng mundo na kalaban ang China. Eh, under Duterte admin ayaw nating ituring na kalaban natin, i-manage natin [ang] relationship with China but it doesn't mean na 'di tayo kumikilos," he added. —Ted Cordero/LBG, GMA News