VIDEO | 3 Pinoy fishers hurt as China CG water cannons them in Panatag Shoal

From InterAksyon (May 7): VIDEO | 3 Pinoy fishers hurt as China CG water cannons them in Panatag Shoal



Screenshot from amateur video shows a Chinese Coast Guard vessel (left) firing a water cannon on Filipino fishermen.

In yet another case of harassment, three Filipino fishermen were injured and their fishing equipment destroyed after the Chinese Coast Guard sprayed water cannon on them while they were fishing in the Panatag Shoal on April 18.

The fisherman, who filmed the 12-minute incident, can’t help but voice his anger at the foreigners.

The amateur video, though not so clear, shows a huge burst of water coming from a big vessel - apparently that of the Chinese Coast Guard.

[Video report]

Based on a spot report they submitted to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, the fishermen said one of three Chinese coast guard vessels patrolling the shoal attacked them.

“One of the three China Coast Guard with the Vessel Number 3402 accosted one Philippine fishing boat operating near said shoal about 3 nautical miles away from the Chinese Coast Guard with the distance about 2 nautical miles from Scarborough Shoal.”

In their report, they said, “3 Filipino crew were injured and most of the equipment on board destroyed, one of this equipment is the generator including diesel fuel and the fish catch on board.”

The BFAR expressed concern about the incident.

BFAR director Asis Perez said he was alarmed and at the same time saddened by the harassment experienced by the fishermen.

Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said they will definitely file a protest as soon as the BFAR finishes its investigation of the incident.
It was not the first time Filipino fishermen were subjected to harassment by the Chinese.

Last month, Filipino fishermen suffered similar incidents wherein they were shooed from the rich fishing grounds, threatened with a gun, water cannoned and their catch confiscated by Chinese fishermen or coast guards.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/110105/video--3-pinoy-fishers-hurt-as-china-cg-water-cannons-them-in-panatag-shoal