Charge Chinese crewmen in Recto Bank incident – Dela Rosa

MANILA, Philippines – Charges must be filed against the Chinese crewmen behind the ramming and sinking of a Philippine fishing boat in the West Philippine Sea based on the result of an investigation by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and Maritime Industry Authority (Marina), Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa said Monday.

“Dapat kasuhan. Kasuhan ang perpetrators, kung sino gumawa non,” Dela Rosa said.

The “Joint PCG-Marina Marine Safety Investigation on the Incident Involving FBCA Gem-ver” stated that  the Chinese vessel failed to extend assistance to the 22 distressed Filipino fishermen who were abandoned in open sea.

By failing to extend assistance, the report said the Chinese crewmen failed to comply with the United Nation Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) regulations that require masters of ships to provide assistance to distressed persons at sea.

The report added that the Chinese vessel “failed to take appropriate action to avoid the risk of collision and to render assistance to a vessel in distress.”

READ: PCG-Marina report: China vessel took no steps to avoid hitting PH boat 

Should the Philippines be lenient in this case, Dela Rosa said more Filipino fishermen might suffer the same fate.

“Otherwise, kung pabayaan natin yan, palagi na lang gagawin yan (If we let it go, they will keep doing it),”  Dela Rosa said.

“Sasabihin naman nila, ‘A, kaya kayanin natin ‘tong Pinoy, banggain natin lahat ng barko ng Pilipino dito. Hindi man ito magreklamo. Hindi naman ‘to magpa-file ng kaso (They will habe the mentality that they can bully Filipinos, anyway, they won’t file formal complaints),” Dela Rosa said.

“Eh kawawa naman ating mga kababayang mangingisda. Dapat talaga kasuhan ang dapat kasuhan. Kahit naman siguro ang government ng China, nobody will allow that to happen kung yan ‘yung ginagawa na pangaabuso. Di naman sila papayag,” he added.  (Editor: Gilbert S. Gaviola)