Ex-envoy blames gov't for Chinese 'harassment' of Pinoy fishermen

A former Foreign Affairs assistant secretary and ambassador on Wednesday blamed the government for the reported "harassment" of Filipino fishermen in Scarborough (Panatag) Shoal.

Alberto Encomienda, who is also a maritime affairs expert, said the government's "neglect" in protecting our coastal fisheries, particularly  Pangasinan and Zambales, "forces" the country's fishermen to go to Scarborough Shoal, located 124 nautical miles west of Zambales province in Luzon.

"Why do they have to go and risk life, limb, and health 200 nautical miles from their home coastal base in order to fish for their families' sustenance and a little for their town market? It just doesn't make sense," he said at a forum in Manila.

He was responding to the issue over members of the Chinese Coast Guard's "harassment" of Filipino fisher folk by reportedly taking some of their catch in Scarborough Shoal, considered common fishing ground for the Chinese, Filipino, and Vietnamese. 

"Where should the blame lie? In regard to the plight of the fishermen, it is not any harassment by China; the finger of blame should be pointed at the Philippine government for not taking care of our coastal resources," Encomienda said, looking at the matter through a socio-economic lens.

Encomienda was formerly Philippine ambassador to Singapore, Malaysia, and Greece. He had headed the Maritime and Ocean Affairs Center of the Department of Foreign Affairs and now leads a nonprofit conservation group on the marine environment and resources.

Some groups are urging the government to protest the alleged harassment, and Supreme Court Acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio has said a new case could be filed against China before the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which ruled to invalidate the Asian power's excessive claims to the South China Sea in 2016.

Beijing has issued a statement in response to the issue, saying it was conducting an investigation into the alleged harassment against Filipino fishermen, but claiming it had allowed Filipinos to fish in Scarborough Shoal "out of goodwill." —LBG, GMA News