Atin Ito First Filipino Community Newspaper in Ontario
THE Philippines is not looking for a fight with China, but it will defend its borders against aggression, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Friday.
The President made the statement after the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) carried out his orders to take down the 300-meter-long floating barrier the Chinese put up on the approach to the Bajo de Masinloc Shoal in a disputed part of the South China Sea.
Interviewed by reporters while visiting Surigao del Norte, the President insisted that putting up the barrier was not right because it was well within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
“Hindi naman maaari na lalagyan ng barrier na ganoon at maliwanag naman na nasa loob ng Pilipinas ‘yan (There shouldn’t be any barrier there and that is clearly within the Philippine territory),” the President said.
“Hindi tayo naghahanap ng gulo, basta’t gagawin natin, patuloy nating ipagtanggol ang Pilipinas, ang maritime territory ng Pilipinas, ang karapatan ng mga fisherman natin na mangisda doon sa mga areas kung saan sila nangingisda daang-daang taon na (We are not looking for trouble. We will continue defending the Philippines, the maritime territory of the Philippines, and the rights of our fishermen who have been fishing in those areas for hundreds of years),” he said.
“Again, many of these are operational issues and that I really cannot talk about. But in terms of taking down the barrier, I don’t see what else we could do,” the President said.
Earlier this week, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, Wang Wenbin, said Beijing “firmly upholds the sovereignty and maritime rights and interests of the Huangyan island,” referring to the shoal by its Chinese name.
“We advise the Philippines not to provoke or stir up trouble,” Wang warned.
On Monday, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) released a video showing a diver cutting a rope attached to the buoys that were holding up the barrier.
Another showed an anchor being hauled from the water into a wooden outrigger boat.
After the rope was cut, the Chinese government vessels, who were watching from a distance, moved in to remove the barrier, said Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesman for the West Philippine Sea.
“The barrier posed a hazard to navigation, a clear violation of international law,” Tarriela had said.
It also hinders the fishing and livelihood activities of Filipino fisherfolk in Bajo de Masinloc,” he added.
Tarriela cited the 2016 Arbitral Award that ruled that Bajo de Masinloc is a traditional fishing ground for Filipino fishermen.
“Thus, any obstruction hindering the livelihoods of Filipino fisherfolk in the shoal violates international law. It also infringes on the Philippines’ sovereignty over Bajo de Masinloc,” he said.
The barrier was spotted by the PCG and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources personnel aboard the Navy ships Datu Bankaw during a routine maritime patrol last September 22.
Filipino fishermen who frequented the area said a Chinese maritime militia service boat installed the barrier upon seeing the Datu Bankaw approach the shoal.
Bajo de Masinloc lies 240 kilometers west of Luzon and nearly 900 kilometers from the nearest major Chinese land mass of Hainan. — Catherine S. Valente
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Credit belongs to: www.manilatimes.net
