PHL has ‘co-control’ of Panatag Shoal with China — Cayetano

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said Monday night the Philippines and China have joint control of the Scarborough Shoal despite the claim of Filipino fishermen that Beijing remained in control of the resource-rich fishing ground.

Cayetano made the remark after President Rodrigo Duterte downplayed the act of the Chinese Coast Guard taking the prized catch of Filipino fishermen last month, calling it a "barter" exchange even as the chief executive admitted there was problem in the valuation of traded goods.

"I believe, at this point in time, may co-control tayo, because malaya na tayong pumupunta," Cayetano said on the sidelines of the 120th anniversary celebration of the Department of Foreign Affairs in Pasay City.

"Definitely, when President Duterte came in, it was controlled by the Chinese. Now, we can use semantics, puwede tayong mag-debate, how much control do we have, how much hindi control? Ang masasabi ko lang, our situation now is much, much better than two years ago," he added.

Cayetano said the Philippines "definitely" wants to assert full control of the disputed shoal, a traditional fishing ground of Filipino, Chinese, and Vietnamese fishermen, but conceded this would entail long discussions. 

"The best thing to do is to find a protocol that is acceptable to both Philippines and China, but not to politicize the issue," he said.

Video obtained by GMA News and Public Affairs showed how Chinese coast guard men have been taking the catch of Filipino fisherman from Zambales in the waters of Scarborough Shoal.

During a Reporter's Notebook documentary shoot, cameras stowed on one of the fishing boats also filmed the Chinese asking for fish and then sailing away when fishermen explained they have not caught any.

Fishermen from Pangasinan recounted their own experience of unfair barter trade with the Chinese, recalling instances when the foreigners gave them two packs of noodles, some cigarettes and alcoholic drinks in exchange for the best catch.

Bataan fishermen, meanwhile, said they had little choice in the barter, adding they'd rather give up their catch instead of getting hit with water cannons.

China has vowed to look into the reports of alleged harassment by its coastguards even as the Asian power insisted that it was allowing Filipinos to fish in the shoal "out of goodwill."

Duterte's statement has raised concern whether the President preempted the results of the investigation by the Chinese side.

Reacting to this concern, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said: "Hindi naman po siguro, kasi ang sabi nga ng Presidente, barter pero walang pagkakasundo sa valuation."

"So, hindi po siya talagang perfected contract of barter, kasi ang Presidente na rin ang nagsabi, walang agreement sa valuation. So wala pa rin talagang kontrata na barter. Kasi bago ka magkaroon ng barter, kinakailangan nagkasundo sa lahat, including iyong presyo," Roque, who once called the incidents as "fish thievery," told reporters in Cotabato City on Tuesday.

China's Ambassador to Manila Zhao Jianhua earlier assured that "bad apples" in the Chinese Coast Guard will be punished if found guilty of misconduct. —with Jessica Bartolome/RSJ/JST, GMA News