MANILA, Philippines - Fisherfolks from Pangasinan is set to call on the United Nations (UN) next week to look into the reports of continuous harassment by Chinese coast guard personnel on local fishermen in the area.
Fisherfolks from Infanta town in Pangasinan, with the help of Center for International Law, will file an urgent appeal on September 22 to the UN regarding the human rights violations by the People's Republic of China.
They said they used to fish near the rich marine-resource fishing grounds of Scarborough Shoal, locally known as Bajo de Masinloc or Panatag Shoal, but were repeatedly turned away by members of the Chinese coast guard.
They added they have incurred heavy economic losses because of the incidents of harassment in the disputed shoal.
Aside from the fishermen from Pangasinan, Bajo de Masinloc has been a long time fishing ground of coastal communities of Zambales, Bataan and Palawan.
In June, fishermen from Zambales, with the help of lawyer Harry Roque Jr., also filed an urgent appeal to the UN for the same harassment of Chinese coast guard, preventing Filipino fishermen to fish in the shoal.