Zhao to Panelo: China vows to punish ‘irresponsible’ crew if they’re Chinese

China has vowed to "educate and punish" the crew of the vessel that hit and sank a Philippine fishing boat in the Recto Bank if it was indeed Chinese, a text message supposedly from the Chinese ambassador to President Rodrigo Duterte's spokesman showed.

In a text message shared with GMA News Online by Secretary Salvador Panelo, Ambassador Zhao Jianhua said Chinese authorities were "thoroughly" and "seriously" investigating the incident.

"The fishing boat issue is being thoroughly and seriously investigated. We share your concerns about fishermen," Zhao’s text message read.

“If it were true that it was a Chinese fishing boat which did it, they would be duly educated and punished for their irresponsible behavior," it added.

"Incidents happen even in the best regulated family. We hope this incident could be held in a proper context,” the message read.

In Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said the collision was an "ordinary maritime accident" even after the Chinese vessel immediately left the area while the Philippine boat sank.

Geng also warned against "irresponsibly politicizing" the collision.

Malacañang on Wednesday called for an investigation into the June 9 incident and said that proper sanctions must be imposed against the Chinese crew who allegedly abandoned the 22 fishermen until a Vietnamese fishing vessel rescued them.  

Panelo described the abandonment as "uncivilized as it is outrageous."

"Regardless of the nature of the collision, whether it was accidental or intentional, common decency and the dictates of humanity require the immediate saving of the crew of the downed Philippine vessel," Panelo said.

"Such act of desertion is inhuman as it is barbaric. It is crystal-clear violation of maritime protocols as well as an infringement of internationally accepted practice of assisting a vessel in distress."

On Thursday, Panelo said the Philippines was ready to sever diplomatic relations with China should it be established that the sinking was intentional.

The Philippines has already filed a diplomatic protest regarding the ship-ramming incident.