(Eagle News) – President Rodrigo Duterte explained that there was a “mutual agreement” with China regarding fishing in the disputed parts of the South China Sea, including those under the Philippines exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
In his speech during the 122th Founding anniversary celebration of the Presidential Security Group (PSG) on Wednesday night, June 27, he said that conflicting claims in the area of the Reed Bank or Recto Bank as well as in other parts of the South China Sea where both countries have claims, necessitated some sort of agreement on fishing in the disputed seas.
Duterte said that those from the opposition who had clamped on the issue and had been criticizing him in the news about his statement that he could not prevent China from fishing in the disputed waters, just wanted trouble.
“Mga senador, sa opposition. Alam mo, gusto talaga nila ng gulo. Kasi sabi ko — tanong sila, ‘Will you allow the Chinese to fish?’ Sabi ko, ‘Of course’. ‘Yan ang pinag-usapan namin noon, kaya tayo nag-uusap eh. And that was we were allowed to fish again. It was a mutual agreement. Sige bigayan tayo. Fish ka doon, fish ako dito,” he said.
He explained that friendly talks between the Philippines and China were instrumental for Filipino fishermen to be able to enter parts of South China Sea, where they previously had been experiencing difficulties. At present, Filipino fishermen can enter Scarborough Shoal to fish. Before this, they were being harassed by China.
-Duterte: No sovereignty claim on EEZ –
Duterte said that when the Hague Ruling in 2016 ruled in favor of the Philippines, the sovereignty claim on the EEZ was not part of it.
“Nanalo tayo, sabi ng arbitral court, ‘sa Pilipinas ‘yan’. Hindi ibinigay sa atin ‘yung sovereignty. Our sovereignty is only 12 miles. Ang economic zone, wala tayong sovereignty. No country in the world has a sovereignty sa kanyang economic zone — exclusive. It is not a question of sovereignty. Ang recognized lang ‘yung 12,” he said.
Although the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled in 2016 that Recto Bank or Reed Bank is within the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone, economic rights to the area continue to be disputed, mainly by China. Exploitation of the hydrocarbon or oil reserves by the Philippines in the area have also been suspended since 2014.
-Recto Bank maritime incident raised in Bangkok-
The President said he had raised this issue himself with the Chinese when he attended the ASEAN Summit in Bangkok, Thailand.
“Ang sabi ng China, nandoon kami, nagkita kami sa Bangkok, ‘Bakit naman ninyo ginawa?’ Sabi niya, naglapitan na lahat eh. Then we realized na foreigner at Pilipino. Eh ‘yung lahat baka — takot kami na baka rambulin kami doon kaya sila sumibat. Now, whether that is a good answer or not, that is their answer. Wala man tayong magawa,” he said.
-PHL vessel, most likely “sideswiped” by China vessel, says Duterte-
The June 9 incident at Recto Bank, where a China fishing vessel hit a Filipino fishing boat, the F/B GimVer 1, was most likely a sideswiping incident, where there was no intentional hitting, he said.
“So pumunta na diyan ‘yung mga Chinese. Ngayon, nagkabungguan. You know, pagkabunggo, ‘yang bangka to bangka, that is a mere maritime accident or incident. You do not react violently. As a matter of fact, halos kami ngayon are agreed na sideswipe. Tapsingan ba,” Duterte explained.
“Hindi talaga ‘yung binunggo. Kung binunggo, nasa ilalim na ‘yon. Nobody was hurt kasi nga tawag nila parang sasakyan, ‘yung pasahero tinamaan ng — na-sideswipe. ‘Yun ang tawag diyan,” he said.
The President said that he already has the results of the probe conducted by the Bureau of Customs and the Philippine Navy, and he was just keeping the results as an ace up his sleeve, as he waits for the results of the Chinese probe.
“Ngayon, sabihin mo sinadya. Then let us have an investigation. Itinatago ko ‘yung aking baraha. Meron ng Customs, meron ng Navy, itinatago ko for the final report kasi gusto ko tingnan ‘yung ano sa China,” he said.
