(Eagle News)–The Commission on Human Rights on Friday, June 14, condemned the Recto Bank incident, expressing support for the filing of a diplomatic protest by the Philippine government against China.
“We believe that asserting our sovereignty and the right of our fishers to rightfully gain economically from the resources found off the coast of Recto Bank in the West Philippine Sea, a country’s exclusive economic zone, protects our people’s right to self-determination,” Jacqueline de Guia, CHR spokesperson, said.
According to De Guia, “not only does the exercise of this right underscores (sic) the parity of peoples in rights and opportunity, but also (sic) serves as a guiding principle for other nations to respect others’ sovereignty and international political status.”
The CHR also urged the government to impose “appropriate robust measures that will protect the rights of all Filipinos—be it on land or at sea.”
“The (CHR) echoes the condemnation of the Department of National Defense, Department of Foreign Affairs, and other concerned Philippine officials and parties against the acts of a Chinese fishing vessel, which rammed and sank a Filipino fishing boat, then merely leaving 22 Filipino fishers as casualties in open water without help,” she said.
The Philippines filed a diplomatic protest following the incident on June 9, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teddy Locsin said.
Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua has said China was investigating the incident, and would impose sanctions on the crewmen of the Chinese vessel for their “irresponsible” behavior if they were found to be Chinese.
