Senator gladdened by Filipino fishermen’s renewed access to Panatag Shoal

Filipinos at Bajo de Masinloc/Panatag Shoal (Photo courtesy of the Philippine Embassy in Norway)

MANILA – Senator Francis Pangilinan on Wednesday welcomed the renewed access of Filipino fishermen to the Pantag (Scarborough) Shoal despite China’s refusal to leave the disputed territory.

“Even if China won’t leave Panatag Shoal, we are glad about the news that since Oct. 16, our fisher folk have been able to go there without being harassed by Chinese ships,” Pangilinan said.

He noted that although neither the Philippines nor China has dropped its sovereignty claims on the shoals, it is still a welcome development that the two countries’ relationship “seems better”.

The senator also reiterated that the Panatag Shoal is within the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone as it is about 230 km. from Zambales.

“According to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which the international arbitral tribunal in July upheld, we have the exclusive rights to fish there,” he said.

Pangilinan meanwhile cited the need to care for the sea’s offerings and for fishermen who risk their lives to earn a living and provide Filipinos with fish, crabs, lobsters, and other marine wealth.

He said that caring for the sea is “everyone’s duty, the Chinese’s and the Filipinos’”.

He also expressed hope that measures to establish a Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources becomes a reality so that treasures from the sea and the country’s fisher folk are better cared for.

According to news reports, there are four Chinese Coast Guard ships but no Chinese Navy ship is in the area. Chinese ships have been there since 2012.

Last July 12, the tribunal handed down its decision on the case which invalidated China’s claim over its “historic rights” to the disputed waters, stressing that its ‘nine-dash line’ claim has no legal basis.

The ruling also noted that “China had violated the Philippines’ sovereign rights in its exclusive economic zone by interfering with Philippine fishing and petroleum exploration, constructing artificial islands and failing to prevent Chinese fishermen from fishing in the zone.”