‘Speculative’ to say Chinese were fishing within PH EEZ: Palace

FILE: President Rodrigo Roa Duterte discusses the pressing concerns of the country during a dialogue with Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo at the Malacañan Palace on September 11, 2018. ROBINSON NIÑAL JR./PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

MANILA — It is “speculative” to assume that Chinese nationals were fishing within the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) when it allegedly rammed and abandoned a Filipino fishing boat at the Recto Bank (Reed Bank) in the West Philippine Sea, Malacañang said on Thursday.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo clarified an earlier statement he made saying Philippines is not granting access to Chinese nationals to fish within EEZ but was “tolerating” it in the spirit of their close friendship.

“The fact is – we do not know if Chinese nationals were fishing there at the time of the maritime incident,” Panelo said in a statement.

“Everything is purely speculative at this stage. Even during the allision, facts remain unclear if the Chinese vessel was fishing or only exercising their right of innocent passage,” he added.

Panelo stressed that it was “prudent” to wait for the results of the formal investigation conducted by both Philippine and Chinese authorities.

He also clarified Duterte’s statement that it is part of the agreement between the Philippines and China that Filipino fishermen are allowed to fish in the disputed waters in which they both claim ownership of.

The Presidential Spokesperson said he asked Duterte about his statement on Wednesday evening and that he confirmed that indeed that was what he meant.

“He (Duterte) explained that his first visit to China resulted into a modus vivendi where China which claims ownership of Reed Bank, by virtue of historical right, would allow our fishermen to catch fish there, a place declared to be within our EEZ,” Panelo said.

According to Panelo, Duterte also said that China would not permit their nationals from fishing within Philippine EEZ.

“It appears that what the President meant was China would not allow their nationals from fishing in our EEZ since they treat us as their friends, knowing that permitting their fishermen to fish in our EEZ would only result in an unwanted hostility leading to an armed confrontation,” Panelo said.

Panelo described as “unfortunate” the confusion made by some media outlets that Duterte was allowing Chinese fishermen in Philippine-owned territories.

He, meanwhile, reiterated that the Philippine government will continue to assert sovereign rights over its EEZ.

“We stress assertively that the President will not relinquish, as he is not relinquishing or waiving our sovereign rights over our country’s EEZ in the West Philippine Sea,” Panelo said.

“The Filipinos can rest assured that the President’s actions are all in accord with his Constitutional mandate to serve and protect the Filipino people,” he added.

Panelo noted that avoiding “reckless undertakings” in the disputed area and “maintaining peace and accord among all nations: are only two of the “carefully studied moves of the President.”

“The settlement of bilateral conflicts, and for that matter multinational disputes, can be best resolved through well-tested diplomatic negotiations rather than saber-rattling diplomacy as espoused by inveterate manic nationalists and other war freak partisans,” Panelo said.

In order to advance Philippine sovereign rights over its EEZ, Panelo said that Duterte has already publicly urged China to join in the finalization of a Code of Conduct in the contested waters, most recently during the recently-concluded 34th Asean Summit.

“In the ASEAN Summit, he articulated on the dangers of China’s vague demarcation line claim even as we filed diplomatic protests against its activities in our EEZ through the Department of Foreign Affairs,” Panelo said.