The Recto Bank 22
I feel sorry for the “The Recto Bank 22”. The most recent insult comes from Senate President Vicente Sotto III who now believes Gem-ver 1 did not sink when they were "grazed" by a Chinese trawler two weeks ago. He is basing his belief on the minimal damage sustained by Gem-ver 1, supposedly corroborated by an expert from the coast guard.
If the hit was intentional, they should have been hit in the middle with considerable damage. Sotto is likewise inferring that the mast lights of the Filipino fishing boat may not have been turned on, causing the Chinese trawler to miss them.
When it was too late, the Chinese trawler may have veered sharply to the left or right with full engines astern, hence the small hit. Wow. Spoken like a maritime expert leaning towards questioning the Filipinos instead of the Chinese.
Then how did the Vietnamese fishing boat eventually come to the rescue of 20 Filipino fishermen clinging to different parts of their sunken boat? Did the captain of the Vietnamese boat lie in his statements describing the fishermen as soaked, shivering, and hungry?
If they did not sink, why were two fishermen from Gem-ver 1 deployed or tasked to find help? And did not President Duterte already thank Vietnam for helping our fishermen? Agriculture Secretary Piñol has pictures of a sunken Gem-ver 1. Were these just photoshopped?
I think the fishermen should finally talk to the media without the presence of any government official and policemen outside their homes, riot-gear-clad or not. They have unwillingly become the symbolic victims of Chinese aggression in the West Philippine Sea when all they want is to go back fishing.
Their statements are being doubted, their ordeal belittled, the incident labeled an ordinary maritime accident. They must be tired and agitated by the fact their statements may be monitored by the administration lest they give unacceptable rhetoric.
I wouldn’t be surprised if after all have given their takes on the incident, the Filipinos will be faulted especially now that the question whether their mast lights were turned on or not is now being asked. They should just ask the captain of Gem-ver 1, that is if they will believe him. Remember Gem-ver 1 was anchored with trawler 42212 hitting them, lights on or not.
It seems every opportunity to lessen or even absolve the Chinese of accountability is being provided. The unacceptable action of 42212 leaving the distressed Filipino fishermen must be pointed out. The issue is not whether 42212 collided with them intentionally or not, or if their mast lights were open.
If a joint investigation by both countries would truly take place, a whitewash may happen especially with all the statements coming from government officials. Their initial reason for leaving the Filipinos is not being bought by anyone. I wonder why the government is shying away from this particular detail.
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