China coast guard law could spell danger for Pinoy fishers –senators

Senator Francis Tolentino on Tuesday said China's new law authorizing its coast guard to fire on foreign vessels could spell danger for Filipino fishermen venturing into contested waters in the South China Sea.

"I worry for our fishermen coming from Zambales, Cavite, Batangas, Mindoro, and the rest of the eastern seaboard who will venture out into that coast," Tolentino said in a privilege speech during a session at the Senate.

The senator however confessed to being uncertain over the ramifications of the law, nor did he have a possible solution to prevent untoward incidents in the disputed waters.

"Diplomatic front? The ASEAN perhaps? The new Biden presidency? A direct engagement to the People's Republic of China? I don't know Mr. President," Tolentino said.

"How I wish, in the international scene, we were in the pre-nine-dashline days—lahat nakakapangisda, lahat nakakapalaot, walang kinakatakutan, walang pinangangambahan," he added.

The July 2016 ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague invalidated China's massive claim over the resource-rich South China Sea.

Manila recently called on Beijing to comply but the latter called the four-year-old decision "illegal and invalid.”

Aggressive and dangerous

Senator Richard Gordon meanwhile said that China's new coast guard law was a shot across the bow of other claimants in the South China Sea.

Gordon believed that the Asian superpower owes the Philippines an explanation and that this matter should be taken up by the country's military and diplomats.

"Our fisheries have been taken from us, our people have been deprived of their livelihood, and I think China owes us an explanation as to what its true intentions are—whether they are really a peaceful and friendly neighbor as I've always thought they were, or they changed their suit or coat into a coat of armor that can become more aggressive and dangerous," Gordon said.

China's legislative body passed a law last week which allows its coast guard to use "all necessary means" to stop or prevent threats from foreign vessels.

According to a Reuters report, the bill that was published earlier specifies the circumstances under which different kind of weapons—hand-held, shipborne or airborne—can be used; allows coast guard personnel to demolish other countries' structures built on Chinese-claimed reefs and to board and inspect foreign vessels in waters claimed by China; and empowers the coastguard to create temporary exclusion zones "as needed" to stop other vessels and personnel from entering. — DVM, GMA News