Chinese Coast Guard bars PHL group from going to Panatag Shoal

Chinese Coast Guard on Sunday barred a Filipino youth group from sailing to the disputed Panatag Shoal to put a Philippine flag there to celebrate the country's Independence Day, a television report said Monday.

In her exclusive report on News To Go, GMA News' Mav Gonzales said 15 Filipino members and an American volunteer of Kalayaan Atin Ito Movement tried to sail to Panatag Shoal — also known as Scarborough Shoal and Bajo de Masinloc — on board a fishing boat.

Aside from wanting to put up a Philippine flag on the lagoon, the group also wanted to see if Filipino fishermen were able to freely go and fish in the area.

A video provided to GMA News by the group showed the encounter between the group and the Chinese personnel.

"It belongs to China"

Lawyer Joy Ban-eg said five vessels of the Chinese Coast Guard stopped them from proceeding to the shoal, warning them that they were entering Chinese territory.

"Limang vessels ng Coast Guard ang dumating. Pinalibutan kami. It lasted for four hours, four hours kami nag-stand off doon. Ayaw nila kami payagan. Sinasabi lang nila the lake belongs to China," she said.

"Sinabi namin na kami lang naman ay mangingisda at gusto lang namin makita yung loob. Ang sinasabi nila, 'No, it belongs to China'," she added.

Five of the group members tried to swim to the lagoon, but the Chinese fired at them using water cannons.

"Yung mga boat ng Chinese iniikutan na kami, binubugahan kami ng tubig, Masakit sa mata especially pag nalulunok na namin yung tubig dagat pero yung alab namin na gawin ang bagay na ito para sa bayan, yun yung nagbigay sa amin ng lakas," said Ipan.

Ban-eg said: "Di namin akalain yung extent ng pagkawil ng bag, yung pagbomba ng tubig sa amin dahil alam nilang may camera. Kasi yung mga naiwan yung bangka nakatutok yung camera sa kanila. Alam nila na may kumukuha lahat ng detalye pero tinuloy pa rin nila yung harassment."

No one was hurt among the volunteers. An hour later, the group decided to go to Masinloc pier.

Not the first attempt

The television report said the group's expedition was a continuation of its plan in 2012 to sail to Panatag Shoal. It was supposed to be led by Capt. Nicanor Faeldon, a former rebel soldier, but was postponed upon the request of President Benigno Aquino III to give way to back-channeling negotiations with China.

China has occupied Panatag Shoal since 2012 and reclaimed the Kalayaan group of islands being claimed by the Philippines.

"Ito yung katotohanan. Nasakop na tayo ng bansang Tsina, matagal na naming sinasabi ito, nasakop na tayo sa Kalayaan island group, sa Bajo de Masinloc nauna pa noong 2012. Ano ba talaga ang pakay ng China? Yun ang dapat unawain ng mamamayang Filipino. Bakit interesado ang China? Ang babantayan natin dito sa Bajo de Masinloc ay i-reclaim din nila ito, sirain yung ating bahura, ipagbawal na tayong mangisda sa ating sariling karagatan," Ban-eg said.

No coordination with DFA

In an interview with News To Go, Foreign Affairs spokesperson Charles Jose said they have no prior knowledge on the plan of the group to go to Panatag Shoal.

"Itong huling pagpunta sa Scarborough Shoal walang coordination sa amin yan, wala kaming advance information na natanggap mula sa grupo," he said.

He said the group coordinated with the DFA when they visited Pag-asa Island last year, adding the department did not oppose the plan but just expressed concern on the safety of the group members.

"Ang concern namin ay yung kanilang safety dahil nga malayo yung Pag-asa, mapanganib ang dagat at maliit lang yung barko nila. Pero this time, sa Scarborough Shoal wala kaming advance knowledge ng kanilang pagpunta roon," he said.

Jose said the group members might be unnecessarily risking their lives for their advocacy of asserting sovereignty as he assured the public that the government is doing all it can to resolve the territorial dispute with China.

Case vs. China

"Marami tayong approaches na ginagamit para masubukang hanapan ng resolusyon na mapayapa. Alam natin, foremost among these approaches yung legal approach, legal track. This refers to the arbitration case we filed against China," he said.

He said the arbitration case that the Philippines filed before a The Hague-based international tribunal would clarify maritime entitlement and overlapping maritime claims in the West Philippine Sea. 

On the reported absence of Philippine Coast Guard personnel in Panatag Shoal, Jose said it started during the standoff in April 2012.

"Nagkaroon ng standoff noong April 2012, nagkaroon ng deal na ang both sides will simultaneously withdraw from the shoal," he said. "Yung Pilipinas sumunod tayo sa usapan, nag-withdraw tayo.  Ang China hindi sumunod."

He admitted that since then China has been occupying the shoal and preventing Filipino fishermen from going there.

"Nagpadala pa sila ng mas maraming vessel. Mula noon in-occupy na ng China ang Scarborough Shoal at ang mga mangingisda natin hindi na makalapit doon para makapangisda. Itinataboy sila ng Chinese Coast Guard. Ginagamitan ng water cannons," Jose said. —Amita Legaspi/KBK, GMA News