Palace wants sanctions for Chinese vessel that rammed Filipino boat
MANILA, Philippines — Echoing the remarks of Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Malacañang called on Chinese authorities to investigate the collision between a Chinese fishing vessel and a Filipino fishing boat in the West Philippine Sea.
The Defense chief denounced the actions of the Chinese vessel for leaving the Filipino vessel that sank after the collision on June 9.
Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo called the act of desertion "inhuman as it it barbaric" and pointed out that it is a violation of maritime protocols.
"We call on the appropriate Chinese authorities to probe the collision and impose the proper sanctions to the Chinese crew," Panelo said in a statement.
The Malacañang spokesman added that the Chinese crew's abandonment of 22 Filipino fishermen at sea was an infringement of the internationally accepted practice of assisting a vessel in distress.
"Regardless of the nature of the collision, whether it was accidental or intentional, common decency and the dictates of humanity require the immediate saving of the crew of the downed Philippine vessel," Panelo said.
Leaving the Filipino crew, which were aboard an anchored and stationary vessel, was an "uncivilized" and "outrageous" behavior for the Chinese ship, Malacañang stressed.
Panelo added that the maritime dispute between the Philippines and China should not have been an impediment for the offending party to assist the distressed Filipinos.
The incident occurred in the vicinity of Recto Bank in the West Philippine Sea, a part of the South China Sea within the Philippine exclusive economic zone. This area is also being considered for the possible joint oil and gas exploration between Manila and Beijing.
"The safety of the crew of the damaged Filipino vessel should have been the uppermost thought and helping them should have been the natural reaction of the crew of the other vessel," Malacañang said.
According to Panelo, concerned agencies of the Chinese government are now providing assistance to the Filipino crew after the sinking of their boat.
A Vietnamese fishing vessel which was in the area rescued the 22 Filipino fishermen and brought them to the Armed Forces of the Philippines' Western Command.
The Philippine government had expressed its gratitude to the captain and crew of the Vietnamese ship for saving the lives of the distressed Filipinos.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., meanwhile, said Vietnam's rescue of the Filipino fishermen would be the basis of enhanced military cooperation between Manila and Hanoi.
"I TAKE MY CUE FROM DEFENSE SEC LORENZANA. WHAT IS CONTEMPTIBLE AND CONDEMNABLE IS THE ABANDONMENT OF THE CREW TO THE ELEMENTS," Locsin tweeted Wednesday night.
Chinese vessel sinks Philippine boat in Recto Bank —Lorenzana I TAKE MY CUE FROM DEFENSE SEC LORENZANA. WHAT IS CONTEMPTIBLE AND CONDEMNABLE IS THE ABANDONMENT OF THE CREW TO THE ELEMENTS. VIETNAM'S RESCUE WILL BE THE BASIS OF ENHANCED VIENTAM-PH MILITARY COOPERATION.
— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) June 12, 2019
The United States Navy's Nimitz-class nuclear powered supercarrier USS John C. Stennis continues underway in the South China Sea.
The US Pacific Command just reported that it has received "cargo" from support ship USNS Rainier in the disputed waters.
#GreatGreenFleet's USS @Stennis74 receives cargo from USNS #Rainier in the #SouthChinaSea - @US7thFleet pic.twitter.com/MnJWrow6Vv
— U.S. Pacific Command (@PacificCommand) June 10, 2016
Palawan Rep. Edward Hagedorn files a bill declaring 3 nautical miles surrounding the Kalayaan Island Group and Scarborough Shoal in West Philippine Sea as marine protected area. — The STAR/Sheila Crisostomo
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos says the country will ask Beijing to explain its "more benign" account of an incident involving Chinese coastguard taking rocket debris from Filipino soldiers in disputed waters.
A senior Filipino navy official on Monday accused the Chinese coastguard of "forcefully" seizing parts of a rocket fairing that landed in the waters of the Spratly Islands in the hotly contested South China Sea.
Beijing insisted the handover took place after "friendly consultation". — AFP
Around 68 foreign vessels were near Julian Felipe Reef and 39 near Union Banks on February 17, satellite image show.
Liz Derr, CEO of the geospatial data provider Simularity, says this at a Stratebase ADR-hosted conference.
In March 2021, over 200 Chinese vessels were sighted near the reef. — report from News5/Marianne Enriquez
President Rodrigo Duterte condemns the latest flare-up in the disputed South China Sea after Chinese coastguard ships fired water cannon at Filipino boats.
"We abhor the recent event in the Ayungin Shoal and view with grave concern other similar developments," Duterte tells the meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and China, using the Filipino name for the shoal.
"This does not speak well of the relations between our nations and our partnership." — AFP
The European Union expresses "strong opposition" against China's unilateral actions in the South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea.
This statement comes after Chinese coast guard ships blocked and water cannoned Philippine boats transporting supplies to military personnel stationed at Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal.
"In this context, the European Union recalls the Arbitration Award rendered under UNCLOS on 12 July 2016, which found that Second Thomas Shoal lies within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone and continental shelf," the EU says in a statement.
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