‘Multilateral approach needed vs China tactics’

MANILA, Philippines — The government should now consider a “multilateral approach” to dealing with China’s “bullying” at sea, underlined on Sunday by the sinking of a Filipino fishing boat by a Chinese vessel, which hurriedly sailed away without helping the fishermen.

Former foreign affairs chief Albert del Rosario made the proposal the other night as he called on the Duterte administration to hold China’s leadership accountable for the sinking of F/B Gimver 1.

“What is obvious is that Goliath, the neighborhood bully, will continue to rear its ugly head to intimidate our poor fishermen. We need to find a way to hold China’s leadership accountable,” Del Rosario said in a statement.

“For instance, how much longer must our people wait for our government to seek a resolution from the UN General Assembly to promote our arbitral tribunal outcome which is now an integral part of international law?” he added, referring to the 2016 ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration invalidating China’s massive claim in the South China Sea and reaffirming the Philippines’ maritime entitlements.

Beijing vowed not to comply with the ruling. In keeping with his policy of appeasement of China, President Duterte said he would not insist on enforcing the ruling.

With the latest incident, Del Rosario said the Philippine government must now accept that China “has absolutely no respect” for the rule of law.

“We thank Vietnam for rescuing our people,” he said.

In March, Del Rosario and former ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales and a group of Filipino fishermen filed a complaint against Chinese President Xi Jinping and other Chinese officials before the International Criminal Court for their “atrocious” actions in the South China Sea and the West Philippine Sea.  

Sharing Del Rosario’s view was the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), which also urged the government to demand an explanation from the Chinese on the June 9 incident.

“If this is true the Philippine government should ask for explanation on the incident and should demand why the Filipino fishermen have not been rescued and given proper care,” CBCP-Episcopal Commission on Laity (ECL) chairman Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo said.

CBCP-Episcopal Commission on Migrants and Itinerant People (ECMI) chairman Bataan Bishop Ruperto Santos said the Recto Bank incident was “very delicate and dangerous action that demands serious and strict investigation.”

He said if reports were accurate, then the Chinese “could not be trusted” as “they really have selfish, vested interest on contested islands.”

“If they are really our friends and neighbors who propagate common peace and prosperity among Asians they should avoid provocation, maintain restraint and help our 22 fishermen,” he said.

“Our fishermen should be helped, protected and saved. Truly it is us Filipinos who have to assist and help one another, and we cannot depend much on foreigners,” Santos added.

“This is a clear manifestation of China’s continuous bullying of the Philippines. They have no respect for our territory, no respect for Filipino lives. Yet, Duterte sees nothing wrong with China,” Sorsogon Bishop Arturo Bastes, said.

Protect Filipinos

Militant fishermen’s group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) said it is challenging the Western Command, the Philippine Navy, and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to fulfill their duty of protecting Filipinos.

“Our Navy’s presence is supposed to safeguard our marine territory, its resources and, most of all, our fishermen who are making a living out of our fishing waters. But the Philippine Navy and PCG seem to be helpless and incompetent in preventing the Chinese personnel from harassing and bullying our fishers,” Fernando Hicap, Pamalakaya national chairman, said.

“What they are doing is merely relaying the situation on the ground to the national level instead of exercising their mandate to serve and protect our sovereignty and the Filipino people,” Hicap said.

“There is no amount of gratitude that can level the kindness that our Vietnamese counterpart has done to rescue our helpless fisherfolk from another Chinese bullying incident,” he added.

Anakpawis party-list Rep. Ariel Casilao said President Duterte should issue a “statement of national condemnation” of China’s “insult to Filipinos as a race.” 

“We demand that President Duterte rally the Filipino people against the act via an executive issuance of a national condemnation,” Casilao said.

He said such statement “should be made official and put on record like the Official Gazette, for every Filipino to know that the national government is asserting national sovereignty and patrimony.”

He said the Chinese action in Recto Bank “sends a chilling message that the government, the armed forces are helpless and useless to secure the safety of its citizens and the national territory.”

He also appealed for “special protection for the Filipino fisherfolk in the West Philippine Sea” and challenged the Armed Forces of the Philippines “to defend the national territory.”

“The Filipino fishing boats in the West Philippine Sea are actually our flag or national symbol. The Chinese have been repeatedly scaring them away, but now they have destroyed our vessel,” he added.

Women’s group Gabriela joined the outrage over the Chinese’s hostile action at sea.

“We stand in defense of Filipino sovereignty and Filipino fishermen,” Rep. Arlene Brosas said.

“We call on the Philippine government to do the same and not let this pass the way it has done with the previously reported harassment of Filipino fishermen and the destruction of reefs, illegal harvest of giant clams and so much more,” she added.  – With Delon Porcalla, Ding Cervantes, Evelyn Macairan, Rhodina Villanueva