Pinoy fisher recounts Jan. 12 harassment by China Coast Guard

A Filipino fisherman who was driven away by the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) on January 12 detailed the harassment they experienced in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

Joey Saligan, captain of the F/B Vharyle, said he confronted the CCG personnel after they attempted to drive them away from the Scarborough Shoal and demanded that they return their catch.

“Sa apat po na bumaba, tatlo yung may hawak na stick...'Yun ang binabantayan namin baka bigla kaming paluin,” he said in Joseph Morong and Marisol Abdurahman report on “24 Oras”.

(Of the four that were deployed on boats, three had sticks. We were on alert because they might hit us.)

“Napansin nung Chinese na may cellphone sa dibdib nya gustong kunin. Sabi ko, 'Yung cellphone mo dalhin mo na sa service boat, ihulog mo na dun. Itakas mo na. Baka pag nakuha nila yan hindi na ibabalik sa iyo yan’,” he said.

(When a CCG personnel saw that we had our phones, he wanted to get them from us. I told my crewman to hide his phone.)

Saligan said the CCG also attempted to submerge one of their boats, which contained their catch for the day.

“Sabi ko, ‘This is Philippine territory, go away,’ sabi ko sa Chinese. Hindi naman umiimik, nakasimangot lang,” he said.

(I told them, "This is Philippine territory, go away.’ They didn't respond, they just scowled.)

“Kung hindi lang masama na patulan yung mga 'yun, papatulan namin. Iniisip lang namin sir kung pinatulan namin yun malaking gulo,” he added.

(If only we’re allowed to fight back then we would have. But we don’t want things to escalate.)

According to the fisherman, they returned the fish, but the CCG continued to shadow them.

“Atin yung Scarborough eh. Tapos sila kahit ultimo manguha ka na lang ng pang-ulam, nagagalit sila… pang-ulam lang sana namin,” he said.

(The Scarborough Shoal is ours, but they demanded that we return our catch.)

“Hangga’t maaari mabawi sana yun. Maibalik sa atin yung karapatan sa Scarborough. Kasi yung karapatan dun nasa Chinese na eh, sila na yung nagbabantay dun eh,” he added.

(We hope we get it back because China is now declaring it as theirs.)

A Sunday "24 Oras Weekend" report said the CCG ordered the Zambales fishermen to return the shells they collected from the sea.

The incident occurred near the south entrance of the Bajo de Masinloc.

Earlier, the fisherfolk submitted their affidavit to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

For its part, the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) called the CCG’s actions illegal.

“To ask them to return itong mga huli nila and to be driven away is obviously a violation of international law,” NTF-WPS Spokesperson Jay Tarriela said.

China harassment vs Pinoy fisherfolk

Jack Tabat, another fisherman in the WPS, said he likewise experienced similar harassment from CCG personnel.

In 2023, he said their fishing boat almost capsized after they were repeatedly hit by CCG rubber boats.

In 2022, they were water canoned by the CCG.

“Bakit ganun nangyayari diyan? Sabi nila, okay na, okay na, pagdating naman doon, ganun pa rin. 'Yung iba kasi nag-aano na rin eh talagang kulang na lang manakit sila eh, kulang na lang palubugin yung service boat mo,” said Tabat.

(What is happening there? The government said the situation is okay but, in the seas, things are different. The CCG almost hurt us.)

Tabat called on the government to deploy personnel that would escort Filipino fisherfolks to prevent the Chinese personnel from harassing them. — Sundy Locus/DVM, GMA Integrated news