Diplomatic protests are not enough to stop Chinese navy ships' harassment of Filipino fishermen, the Magdalo partylist said on Thursday as fisherfolk from Bataan and Iloilo told GMA News of recent and ongoing Chinese intrusions into their fishing grounds.
Magdalo partylist Congressman Francisco Asher Acedillo said the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Coast Guard should send out patrols to protect Filipino fishing vessels that need to harvest fish from the reefs and shoals of the West Philippine Sea that are teeming with marine life.
Acedillo issued the call to the PN and PCG after learning of the aggression Filipino fishermen encounter from Chinese ships, as well as from Vietnamese vessels.
[Video report]
[Video report]
Donie Cabacungan, skipper of the fishing boat Denmark said the Chinese ships they encounter sail as close as five nautical miles to the Rizal Reef, also known as Commodore Reef.
Cabacungan also relayed the experience of fellow fishermen who came from as far as Iloilo. He said the ship Chinese Navy 29 chased Iloilo fishermen away from the Rizal Reef.
Cabacungan's report is no different from that of Valeriano Quimson, skipper of the fishing boat John Alex, who said their livelihood is adversely affected whenever they are unable to fish in the water of Scarborough Shoal.
China has become aggressive in patrolling the West Philippine Sea, according to Professor Rommel Banlaoi of the Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence and Terrorism Research, because China may be fearing the expansion of the Philippines' exclusive economic zone if and when the Philippines wins its case before the United Nations abritral tribunal.
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