N. Luzon Command: No reports of harassment of Pinoys in Scarborough

The Northern Luzon Command on Wednesday clarified there are no reports of harassment by the Chinese personnel against Filipino fishermen in the Scarborough Shoal.

This came after a supposed campaign video of senatorial candidate Neri Colmenares circulated online, discussing the supposed harassment against Filipino fishermen in the area.

"We have coordinated with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and initially, there were no reports of Filipino Fishermen being subjected to the said attack of Chinese water cannons, and so far, there were no sightings of dredging ships in the waters of Bajo De Masinloc or in the West Philippine Sea," NOLCOM commander Lieutenant General Emmanuel Salamat said in a press release.

Salamat called on politicians not to exploit sensitive national issues especially if the supposed reports are neither confirmed nor validated.

"Such action could cause undue alarm to the public and may affect our credibility as a nation once proven false —which are unnecessary," Salamat said.

He assured the public that NOLCOM would remain committed in doing its mandate of protecting the people and securing the sovereign territory within its area of responsibility.

The Scarborough Shoal is a traditional fishing ground within the 200-nautical-mile Exclusive Economic Zone of the Philippines.

There had been reports of China Coastguard personnel harassed Filipino fishermen, with one video showing Chinese men took the catch of Filipinos in the shoal. —Anna Felicia Bajo/LBG, GMA News