Verbatim
Credit to Author: Tempo Desk| Date: Tue, 18 Jun 2019 18:10:48 +0000
“AN ordinary maritime traffic accident. If the relevant reports are true, regardless of the country from which the perpetrators came from, their behavior should be condemned”, Chinese Foreign Minister Spokesman Geng Shuang. Initial response to statements made by F/B Gemvil 1 Skipper Junel Insigne, “Umikot muna sila, binalikan kami sinindi yun maraming ilaw, nung makita kaming lubog na, pinatay ung ilaw ulit, bago tumakbo palayo…Kung wala dun yung Vietnam, baka mamatay kami lahat”. Twenty-two Filipino fishermen floundered at sea 6-7 hours after the midnight incident last Sunday in Recto Bank.
“The Filipino vessel was anchored. So, when based on the International rules of the road, it had privilege because it could not evade. The ship was rammed”, Philippine Navy (PN) Vice Admiral Robert Empedrad. The Chinese Embassy in the country stated, “Yuemaobinyu 42212, a Chinese fishing boat from Guandong Province, China. The Chinese captain attempted to rescue the Filipino fishermen but was besieged by 7 to 8 Filipino fishing boats. During the evacuation, 42212 failed to shun a Filipino fishing boat, and its steel cable on the lighting grid of the larboard bumped into the Filipino pilot house. The fishing boat tilted and its stern foundered. Therefore, having confirmed the fishermen from Filipino boat were rescued and on-board Filipino fishing boats, 42212 sailed away…no such thing as hit and run”. PN Spokesman Capt. Jonathan Zata, “It’s the Vietnamese fishing vessel that rescued our fishermen. No Filipino vessel in the area”. Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin in his tweeter, “I believe in our Armed Forces; in its intelligence and integrity, not to mention courage. So, ramming it is”. Professor Jay Batongbacal (UP Institute for Maritime Affairs) in his FB, “What 7-8 boats of Filipino fishermen was China referring to? Satellite VIRS (Virtual Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) that night, showed other boats were 3-5 nautical miles”. Annexing this incident, I recall, early 1990’s the official statement from Beijing. The temporary structures built in the Spratlys, were meant to protect their fishermen in case of storms. Hook line and sinker.