MANILA, Philippines- Walang “provisional arrangement” sa pagitan ng Pilipinas at China upang payagan ang mga Pilipinong makapangisda sa Bajo de Masinloc o Scarborough Shoal, ayon sa Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) official nitong Huwebes.
Pinabulaanan ni Commodore Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, ang pahayag ng Chinese state-run Global Times na gumawa ang Beijing ng ‘special arrangement’ para makapangisda ang mga Pilipino sa shoal, at sinabing batay sa arbitral tribunal sa The Hague, na bumasura sa claims ng Chinese government sa South China Sea, lumabag ang China sa sovereign rights ng Pilipinas sa Bajo de Masinloc. “Although China neither accepts nor recognizes the South China Sea Arbitration, in 2016, China made a special arrangement for the Philippines’ fishermen to maintain their small-scale artisanal fishing activities around Huangyan Dao under humanitarian considerations,” anang Global Times. Tinatawag ng China ang Scarborough Shoal na Huangyan Dao.
Bagama’t binanggit sa 2016 arbitral ruling na ang shoal ay traditional fishing ground ng mga Pilipino, Vietnamese at Chinese, iginiit nitong ang Bajo de Masinloc ay saklaw ng Philippine exclusive economic zone.
“It is important to highlight that there is no provisional arrangement between China and the Philippines,” wika ni Tarriela sa isang post sa X (dating Twitter).
“Filipino fishermen have historically fished peacefully in the area even before the establishment of the Chinese coast guard,” dagdag niya.
Sinabi niya na ang Filipino fishing vessels sa Scarborough “[were] not like the Chinese maritime militia, disguised as ordinary fishermen, who support the bullying and provocation of the China Coast Guard in the West Philippine Sea.”
Aniya, ang direktiba ni Pangulong Marcos “is very clear—that is to support the welfare of our ordinary Filipino fishermen because this is their livelihood.” RNT/SA
