More than two months after the Philippines won its maritime case against China in The Hague, Filipino fishermen are still barred from entering Scarborough Shoal, also known as Panatag Shoal. (file photo)
More than two months after the Philippines won its maritime case against China in The Hague, Filipino fishermen are still barred from entering Scarborough Shoal, also known as Panatag Shoal. But this may no longer be the case.
During the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) budget briefing at the House of Representatives on Tuesday, Foreign Affairs Sec. Perfecto Yasay pushed for the signing of a provisional agreement between the Philippine and Chinese governments. This will allow Filipino fishermen to go back to their traditional fishing grounds.
Yasay said, in the deal, the Philippine government will also agree not to drive out Chinese fishermen from the Scarborough Shoal. He hopes China will sign the agreement before the beginning of bilateral negotiations between the two countries.
Yasay said China may be dubbed as the "biggest loser" if it continues to ignore the decision of the arbitral tribunal on the South China Sea.
"I personally believe that if China will continue to isolate itself before the international community by not respecting the decision of the arbitral tribunal or by not upholding the rule of law, at the end of the day, they will end up the biggest loser in this matter. And I stick to that," he said.
No exact date yet
Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella earlier said China has agreed to let Filipino fishermen sail to Scarborough. However, no date was set for when free entry will begin.
In a press briefing, Abella said this is one of the issues raised by President Rodrigo Duterte in a meeting with Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jianhua last Friday.
"That's exactly one of the things na inilapit yata ng Presidente [that the President asked]: to treat our people not as enemies, that let us not be adversaries but instead that we're friends - parang gano'n [something like that] - to allow them to be able to fish," he said.
Abella said talks between the two countries look optimistic.
"There are maybe kinks in the relationship (but) there is a positive opening. There is a window of opportunity," he said. "I don't know about the exact [date] kung pwede na (for Filipino fishermen to enter Scarborough Shoal), but nailapit 'yan and sabi naman nila, oo." [Translation:"There are may be kinks in the relationship (but) there is a positive opening. There is a window of opportunity. I don't know about the exact date when Filipino fishermen would be allowed to enter Scarborough Shoal, but this issue was already raised to Chinese officials and they agreed to it."]
[Video report]
However, Yasay said he still needs to verify whether China has already allowed Filipino fishermen to fish in Scarborough Shoal.
"Wala akong impormasyon tungkol dyan. We would like to clarify that at kung pinayagan na nga ay napakagandang development nyan. [I don't have information about that. We would like to clarify that and if they really permitted it then that's a great development.] But as it is, I am in no position to affirm or deny that. That will have to be verified," Yasay said.
Just last week, Yasay told CNN Philippines the President is eyeing a trip to China before the end of the year although no exact dates have been announced.
On Monday, Duterte called on Chinese nationals to treat Filipinos as "brothers," not "enemies," and to "take note of the plight of our citizens."
The President, after the four-hour meeting with the Chinese ambassador, also said he wants the Philippines to continue reaching out to China through bilateral talks on the South China Sea dispute.
http://cnnphilippines.com/news/2016/08/30/china-to-allow-ph-fishermen-into-scarborough.html
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