Chased-away Filipino fisherman goes around China Coast Guard ship

The Filipino fisher whose path was cut off by a China Coast Guard boat as he tried to get near the Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal went around a bigger CCG ship after the chase.

In Raffy Tima's tweet on X, drone video showed Mang Arnel "circled CCG 3105 ship in an apparent show of protest right after the chase, his mother boat joining in and sailed close to the foreign vessel."

Remember Mang Arnel, the Filipino fisherman who bravely took on 2 fast boats from the China Coast Guard but was chased away?
He circled the huge CCG 3105 ship in an apparent show of protest right after the chase, his mother boat joining in and sailed close to the foreign vessel. pic.twitter.com/FcLgFYpt9W

— Raffy Tima (@raffytima) September 26, 2023

Arnel Satam had taken advantage of the stand-off between the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources vessel BRP Datu Bankaw and CCG ship 3105 near the entrance of Scarborough Shoal and attempted to enter the shoal.

He was then chased away by the Chinese.

"Hindi ako natatakot,” said Arnel Satam when asked about the incident. "Pinagtatawan-tawanan ko lang sila. Inaasar ko lang sila eh."

(I'm not afraid. I just laugh at them. I taunt them.)

The video showed that the Chinese boat cut into his path after it caught up with his banca.

National Security Adviser Eduardo Año condemned the actions of the CCG after seeing the chase on video.

"We condemn those actions because it was obvious that our fishermen almost collided with them. What would happen if a collision occurred? Our fishermen's lives would be put at risk," Año said.

Año asked China to tell its coast guard to refrain from such illegal actions against fishermen.

"We urge the Chinese government to provide instructions to their coast guard to avoid such incidents. We are ready to provide medical evacuation assistance if necessary and to protect our fishermen," Año said.

Located 229.6 kilometers (124 nautical miles) away from Zambales, the Bajo de Masinloc is part of the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ). It is considered as a traditional fishing grounds of Filipinos.

The Philippine Coast Guard over the weekend said the CCG installed a floating barrier in the southeast portion of the shoal, preventing Filipino fishermen from entering the area to conduct their fishing activities.

The PCG said the floating barrier, which has an estimated length of 300 meters, was discovered by personnel of PCG and the BFAR on maritime patrol on Friday in Bajo de Masinloc.

The PCG has since removed the floating barrier.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has reiterated that the Bajo de Masinloc was an important part of the Philippines, with sovereignty and territorial jurisdiction according to UNCLOS or the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The 2016 Arbitral Award recognized Bajo de Masinloc as a traditional fishing ground for Filipinos.

The NTF-WPS and the National Security Council are also investigating the discovery of dead and damaged corals on a sandbar near Pag-asa Island in the West Philippine Sea.

The Sandy Cay Two is a sandbar located within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), which experts believe China typically does before commencing a reclamation project. The Chinese Embassy has not responded regarding the dead and damaged corals at Sandy Cay, or if they are involved in it.

Año questioned the origin of the dead corals and the sandbar formation, asking whether it was natural or man-made, and called for an investigation into the matter. —NB, GMA Integrated News