Military still unsure of identities of Chinese harassers of PHL fishermen off Union Bank

The military is still to determine on whether it was members of the Chinese Navy or Coast Guard that harassed Filipino fishermen off Union Bank, in the Spratlys Island Chain early this month. (Photo: Armed Forces of the Philippines/ Facebook)

MANILA–The military is still to determine on whether it was members of the Chinese Navy or Coast Guard that harassed Filipino fishermen off Union Bank, in the Spratlys Island Chain early this month.

“We are still to determine that. What we know for sure is that seven Chinese personnel with firearms and aboard a rubber boat, which came from a Chinese vessel, we are still to determine on whether it (came from a Chinese Navy or Coast Guard ship),” Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief-of-staff Gen. Eduardo Año said Tuesday.

“So now we have gathered the data and then informed already the Department of Foreign Affairs, now the all other actions will be acted upon by the DFA,” he added.

Año earlier said he received an initial report on the incident from Western Command head Lt. Gen. Raul Del Rosario.

He added that harassed fishermen came from La Union.

Año also said Union Bank, a submerged feature, is near Gaven Reef, a feature holding some Chinese structures.