What is happening in Scarborough is not barter, but piracy by Chinese Coast Guard personnel who “forcibly” take away the prized catch of Filipino fishermen.
This was according to the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya), who alleged that the seizure of fish catch of Filipino fishermen by the Chinese Coast Guard happens on a daily basis.
This regular routine, the group said, can be likened to “piracy,” or the practice of hijacking and robbing ships in the sea.
The Philippines and China are both claiming portions of the South China Sea, including the Scarborough Shoal. China is claiming almost the entire South China Sea, including 80 percent of the exclusive economic zone and the extended continental shelf of the Philippines.
In a consultation with the fisherfolk of the municipalities of Santa Cruz and Masinloc in the province of Zambales, Pamalakaya learned that in every fishing trip in Scarborough Shoal, Chinese Coast Guards patrolling in the disputed area board their fishing boats and grab their fish catch with impunity.
“They would intercept us with their rubber boats, board our fishing vessel, grab the catch of their choice and leave us with their noodles and cigarettes. The way we see it, that’s how pirates operate, except we were not made to walk the plank,” Cesar Atejano, member of Pamalakaya and a local fisherman in Santa Cruz, Zambales said.
Pamalakaya also learned that Filipino fishermen are being barred from entering the lagoon inside the Scarborough Shoal, which the fishermen described as a “safe haven” because of its tranquility even in times of turbulent weather.
Pamalakaya also slammed the downplaying of President Duterte on the “bullying” of Chinese Coast Guards to Filipino fishermen to a mere “barter system,” saying Chinese cigarettes and noodles exchanged for fish products are just token items compared to the income that could be earned by Filipino fishers from the products seized by Chinese Coast Guards.
The progressive group, likewise, vowed to mobilize fishermen affected by the sea row to assert the country’s rightful claim over the West Philippine Sea.
Image credits: CNN Philippines