Kalayaan, Palawan mayor denies fishermen harassed by Chinese Coast Guard

Kalayaan, Palawan Mayor Roberto del Mundo denied that some Filipino fishermen were barred by the Chinese Coast Guard from accessing the fishing grounds near Pag-asa Island.

According to a report on “Balitanghali” on Wednesday, Del Mundo said based on the video taken by Larry Hugo, one of the fishermen, the CCG was just following the Filipinos’ boat.

The local government of Kalayaan also urged Filipino fishermen to stop fishing in areas where Chinese vessels can be seen.

Earlier, several Filipino fishermen were allegedly  barred from accessing the fishing grounds near Pag-asa Island by CCG vessels.

According to Chino Gaston’s report on “24 Oras” on Tuesday, Filipino fishermen in the area said the Chinese vessels were blocking their way.

Last week, China passed a law that explicitly allows the CCG to open fire on foreign vessels if the situation warrants.

The law was passed amid continued tensions over territorial disputes among China and several countries across Asia, including the Philippines.

In a statement, the Armed Forces of the Philippines Naval Forces West said there were no harassment incidents reported involving Filipino fishermen so far.

“Per verification at PAG-ASA detachment, there was no reported incident of harassment of fishermen in the sandbars threat. Your Naval Forces West especially the security personnel deployed in the different KIG features continue to uphold and protect the safety of our Filipino fishermen,” it said.

Chinese vessels have warded off Filipino fishermen in the area in past years.

In June 2020, several boats of Chinese fishing militia were also seen near Pag-asa Island as defense officials inaugurated a beaching ramp in the area.—Ma. Angelica Garcia/LDF, GMA News