Panelo: China’s version of Recto Bank incident is likely imaginary

Contrary to the Chinese Embassy’s statement that the Recto Bank incident on June 9 was prompted by aggression on the part of Filipino fishermen who besieged a Chinese fishing boat, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo on Tuesday claimed that the narrative was probably a product of the imagination.

The Palace official said he did not believe that Filipino fishermen from FB Gem-Vir 1 besieged the Chinese vessel.

“Not really,” Panelo said when asked if he believed the Chinese Embassy’s official statement on the incident.

In a June 14 statement , the Chinese Embassy claimed that the Chinese vessel was “berthed” when seven or eight Filipino fishing boats “besieged” it.

“Nabangga at kumalat na nga ‘yung mga Filipino fishermen, nakakapit na nga doon sa submerged na boat. Mukhang malabo ‘yun, baka imagination,” he said in an interview on CNN Philippines.

Panelo cited Article 98 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and emphasized that the crew of the Chinese vessel, identified by the embassy as Yuemaobinyu 42212, should have helped the 22 Filipino fishermen.

However, the Chinese captain claimed he was afraid of helping the Filipino fishermen as they allegedly tried to besiege the Yuemaobinyu 42212, according to the embassy statement.

This argument, Panelo noted, exempts the Chinese crew from liability under the UNCLOS because of the ‘danger’ that the captain felt at that time.

UNCLOS Article 98 states that captains are only required to help when there is no serious danger to their ship, their crew, or their passengers.

Panelo said a China-Philippines joint probe and a third-party investigation are possible if the final results of the investigation of the two countries have conflicting claims.

“If there’s a conflict in the findings, then a neutral body does the solving of whatever conflict,” he said.

Malacañang has so far received the results of the Maritime Industry Authority and the Philippine Coast Guard’s joint investigation into the incident.

The Philippines is now waiting for China’s next move in addressing the issue, Panelo noted, saying there is no formal reply yet from the Chinese government regarding its investigation into the incident.—Joviland Rita/VDS , GMA News