Senators Kiko Pangilinan and Franklin Drilon. INQUIRER file photo / NIÑO JESUS ORBETA
MANILA, Philippines— Opposition Senator Francis Pangilinan mocked on Tuesday the Philippine government’s response to the ramming and sinking of a Filipino fishing boat by a Chinese fishing vessel.
Some government officials, including President Rodrigo Duterte himself, called the June 9 incident in the West Philippine Sea’s Recto Bank a maritime accident.
“Aksidente daw? Hindi daw sinasadya? Maliit na banggaan daw? Hindi daw sadyang binangga at walang awang iniwanan sa laot gaya ng sinabi ng ating mga kababayang mangingisda at ng ating Department of National Defense, AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) at Philippine Navy?” Pangilinan wrote on Facebook.
He lamented the government’s seeming bias in favor of the wealthy and powerful China over the Philippines’ small and poor fishermen, and even its own military.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana strongly condemned the incident when he first disclosed it to the public last week.
“We denounce the actions of the Chinese fishing vessel for immediately leaving the incident scene abandoning the 22 Filipino crewmen to the mercy of the elements,” he said.
“We condemn in the strongest terms the cowardly action of the Chinese fishing vessel and its crew for abandoning the Filipino crew. This is not the expected action from a responsible and friendly people,” Lorenzana added.
READ: Chinese vessel abandons PH boat after collision
“Sino na ang aasahan na magtatanggol sa maliliit at mahihirap nating mga kababayan kung ang namumuno mismo ay kampi sa kabila?” Pangilinan, president of Liberal Party, asked.
“Gobyerno ba natin itong naririnig ko o mga kinatawan at ahente ng China?” he further asked.
Jailed Senator Leila de Lima also slammed what she described as administration’s “odious yet subtle effort” to cover up for China.
De Lima cited in particular Duterte’s downplaying of the incident, Energy Secretary Alfredo Cusi’s reported “callous” comment about the damage of the Philippine boat, and an “incredibly imprudent and arrogant” Foreign Secretary, who “keeps rubbing salt on this highly delicate issue through his constant tweeting of highly annoying and offensive remarks.”
“I see an odious yet subtle effort on the part of our executive authorities to cover up for China, implicitly accepting the flawed and implausible version proffered by the Chinese government regarding the incident, a version soundly rejected by credible observers and experts,” she said in a statement.
“The pro-China Duterte regime is hard put at supporting the causes of the Filipino fishermen victimized by this latest act of bullying within our own EEZ,” De Lima added.
Whether the ramming was intentional or accidental, Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said what is clear is that the Chinese crew abandoned the Filipino fishermen in distress at sea.
“This violates China’s obligation under the UNCLOS (United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea) to rescue those in distress at sea. This is the issue that should be addressed and the basis of China’s liability under international law and the UNCLOS,” he said in a statement.
Drilon slammed as “baloney” and an “outright and malicious lie” China’s claim that the Chinese boat left after the incident for fear of being besieged by Philippine boats in the area.
“If there were indeed Philippine fishing boats in the vicinity, why did it take a Vietnamese vessel to rescue the 22 Filipinos in distress? And at least one hour after the incident?” the senator asked.
“And, per testimony of the Filipino crew, the Chinese boat even came back, without hesitation, with bright strong lights, to check on the Philippine boat, presumably to find out if enough damage was inflicted, and not to rescue the Filipino crew.” (Editor: Jonathan P. Vicente)