Lorenzana says Recto Bank incident ‘just an accident’

FILE: Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana giving his remarks for the oath-takers of professional conduct for the AFP Modernization Phase 2. (Photo: Department of National Defense – Philippines/Facebook)

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Wednesday, June 19, now thinks that the incident in the West Philippine Sea where a Filipino fishing boat carrying 22 fishermen sank was an accident.

“I think it’s just an accident based on information we got from the crew. Siguro hindi sinasadya ng kabila na nasagi nila. ‘Yun lang hindi tinulungan (Maybe the other side did not intend to bump them. It’s just that they did not help),” Lorenzana said during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum in Manila.

But while he perceives that what happened was an accident, his denouncement of the Chinese crew for abandoning the Filipino fishermen at sea after the incident “stays.”

It was Lorenzana who was first to reveal and denounce the incident in public on June 12, as the country celebrated its 121st Independence Day.

In his statement, Lorenzana said a “collision” happened between a Chinese and Filipino fishing vessel near the Recto Bank (Reed Bank) in the West Philippine Sea last June 9.

“We condemn in the strongest terms the cowardly action of the suspected Chinese fishing vessel and its crew for abandoning the Filipino crew. This is not the expected action from a responsible and friendly people,” he earlier said.

China had claimed that the Chinese captain attempted to rescue the Filipino fishermen “but was afraid of being besieged by other Filipino fishing boats.”

It added that the Chinese vessel sailed away from the scene after confirming that the fishermen were rescued.

Lorenzana, during the forum, said the Chinese nationals should at least apologize and pay compensation for the damage they caused to the aggrieved Filipino crewmen.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier dismissed the incident as “a little maritime accident.”

“Banggaan lang ng barko ‘yan (It was just a collision of ships). Do not make it worse,” the Chief Executive said, adding that the public should also “wait and give the other party the right to be heard.”

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr. already reported to the United Nations (UN) the June 9 incident, saying that abandoning people in distress is a “felony.”