Fishermen finally allowed to fish near disputed Scarborough Shoal
BULLYING BY CHINESE COAST GUARD STOPPED
INFANTA—The town’s fishermen no longer fear going out to fish again at the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the West Philippine Sea. Reason? The Chinese Coast Guard no longer harasses them.
Fishing boats like this in Barangay Cato, Infanta, Pangasinan are now free to fish in disputed Scarborough Shoal. (Tita Roces)
Barangay Kagawad Joey Legaspi of Cato, Infanta town said fishermen from their barangay sailed to Scarborough Shoal more confident after fishermen who went out to the contested area reported early this month reported no harassment from the Chinese this time.
In an interview by a group led by Dagupan City, Pangasinan Mayor Belen Fernandez last Saturday, Legaspi confirmed that while the Chinese stopped harassing the fishermen, their strong presence in the Scarborough Shoal since middle of last year remains.
Mayor Fernandez said she wanted to know first-hand the fishermen’s personal accounts and their wishes on the sea row which she could relay when in international forums that would discuss the issue.
“It’s only this month that Filipino fishermen are no longer shooed away by the Chinese,” Legaspi said and added that they felt that the aggression by the Chinese has started to slow down since February.
The Chinese Coast Guard prevented the town’s fishermen from fishing close to the Scarborough Shoal since 2012.
Legaspi remembered how the Chinese Coast Guard bullied and intimidated Filipino fishermen who attempted to go near the shoal.
He said the armed elements of Chinese Coast Guard boarded rubber boats to drive them away. There were times when they used water canons and the Filipino fishermen used slingshots to retaliate, he added.
Meanwhile, he said Chinese fishermen were allowed to fish for exotic fish in the area, including corrals and turtles.
Gilbert Baoya, ship captain of fishing boat Ruvina, confirmed he did not experience any harassment the whole month of May. “They no longer go down from their mother ship,” he said.
He said he finally earned P8,000 in his last week-long voyage last week.
The fishermen have appealed to incoming-President Rodrigo Duterte to fight for ownership of the Scarborough Shoal. (Tita Roces)
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