Hold China accountable for sinking of Filipino vessel — ex-DFA chief

“What is obvious is that Goliath, the neighborhood bully, will continue to rear its ugly head to intimidate our poor fishermen. We need to find a way to hold China’s leadership accountable,” Del Rosario said in a statement. (File Photo by Glenn Fawcett/United States Department of Defense via Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain)

The Philippine government should hold Beijing accountable for the sinking of a Filipino vessel in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario said on Wednesday, June 12.

“What is obvious is that Goliath, the neighborhood bully, will continue to rear its ugly head to intimidate our poor fishermen. We need to find a way to hold China’s leadership accountable,” Del Rosario said in a statement.

On the day the Philippines celebrated its 121st Independence Day, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana disclosed that a Filipino boat sank after it ‘collided’ with a Chinese vessel near the Recto Bank in the WPS on Sunday night. Lorenzana denounced the actions of the Chinese vessel for abandoning the 22 Pinoy fishermen onboard the vessel, saying that it is not the expected action from a responsible and friendly people.”

Del Rosario believes that this incident would boost the complaint he and former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales lodged against Chinese President Xi Jinping and other Chinese officials last March for allegedly committing crimes against humanity in connection with China’s activities in the South China Sea.

“We trust that our recent communication to the ICC (International Criminal Court) prosecutor will now be treated with greater urgency — that crimes against humanity must be curtailed,” the former Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.

He also urged the Philippine government to “consider a multilateral approach.”

“For instance, how much longer must our people wait for our government to seek a resolution from the UN (United Nations) General Assembly to promote our arbitral tribunal outcome which is now an integral part of international law?” Del Rosario asked.

“We must accept that Beijing has absolutely no respect for the rule of law,” he added.

DFA Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr. had also condemned China’s abandonment of the Filipino crew. These Filipinos were instead rescued by a Vietnamese fishing vessel which happened to be in the area when the incident occurred.

Locsin added that he will wait first for the report of the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea regarding the issue before deciding on whether or not the Philippine government will file a diplomatic protest.