OCCIDENTAL MINDORO – “We will never allow this to happen again,” said Congresswoman Josephine “Nene” Sato on Wednesday (June 19) following the incident ten days ago when 22 Filipino fishermen were left clinging to debris after a Chinese vessel struck and sunk their boat near Recto Bank.
Speaking during the media briefing at San Jose, Occidental Mindoro, the representative of the lone district of Occidental Mindoro amplified calls of the fishermen for an immediate marine inquiry.
“Kami po dito sa lalawigan ng Occidental Mindoro at sa munisipyo ng San Jose, kami po ay sumusuporta sa aming mga mangingisda at kami po ay humihiling, sinasamahan po namin sa kanilang hiling na magkaroon po ng madalian, sa lalong madaling panahon, na magkaroon ng marine inquiry,” Congresswoman Sato said.
“Dahil iyong tinatanong po ninyo na paulit-ulit kung sila ay sigurado na intensyunal ba yan o yan eh aksidente, yan po ay makikita doon sa mga imbestigasyon. Saan ba tinamaan iyong bangka? Anong oras po? At iyan po lahat sila pag yan ay a-appear po sa marine inquiry, sila po ay magsasabi kung ano ang talagang nangyari at kung ano ang kanilang nakita,” she said.
Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol, who was designated to assist the affected Filipino fishermen, earlier said that the only thing that can be done on the part of the Philippine government is to ask for an investigation. China has previously said that it is also “earnestly investigating” the matter.
After the incident, the Philippines has filed a diplomatic protest against China and has raised the issue before the United Nations.
“Ang inquiry, ang resulta po ng inquiry ang pinakamagandang suporta doon po sa ating protesta na binibigay na yan. At ang sinasabi na kung sila ang kailangang mag-initiate ng inquiry, hindi rin po tayo papayag. Dahil kailangang makita natin tayo po ang magdeklara kung ano talaga ang tunay na nangyari at naniniwala po kami sa aming mga kababayang mangingisda na pag binigyan ng pagkakataon na mag-appear sa marine inquiry, sasabihin po nila ang lahat lahat ang nangyari at ang konklusyon ay gagawin natin patapos na sila ay magtestify doon sa marine inquiry,” Sato said.
The congresswoman also stressed the lack of patrols in the area which puts our fisherman at risk.
“Kami po rito, wala po kaming pro-protektahang ibang interes kundi po ang interes ng aming mga mangingisda at interes po ng ating bansa…Kaya lang po ngayon, maganda rin po itong pagkakataong ito na sinasabi halos walang nagbabantay doon, dahil malayo iyan. Kaya ngayon dahil Exclusive Economic Zone po natin iyan, dapat iyan ay reserved para sa ating mga mangingisda at sa ating mga kababayan dito sa bansang Pilipinas,” Sato said.
Recto Bank is in the West Philippine Sea, waters within the Philippines’ 370-kilometer exclusive economic zone in the heavily disputed South China Sea. China, however, claims nearly the entire South China Sea, including waters close to the shores of the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam.
“We stand squarely behind our fishermen, not only for Occidental Mindoro, but for the whole Philippines,” she said.
Congresswoman Sato also serves as the treasurer of the Liberal Party of the Philippines.