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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 12 June 2018

Philippines says Chinese seizures of fish catch unacceptable

By JIM GOMEZ officials at the meeting
MANILA, Philippines (AP) — "took note" of the concerns
The Philippine president's and promised to look into
office on Monday called the incidents, said the offi-
Chinese seizures of fish cials, who spoke on condi-
caught by Philippine fish- tion of anonymity because
ing boats near a disputed of the sensitivity of the issue.
shoal unacceptable, and Antonio Carpio, a senior
presented three fishermen associate justice of the
who described their experi- Supreme Court who has
ences. done extensive studies of
Presidential spokesman the territorial disputes, said
Harry Roque said he and the Philippines could file a
Foreign Secretary Alan Pe- new case against China
ter Cayetano raised the for violating a 2016 arbitra-
incidents with the Chinese Protesters display placards during a rally at the Chinese Consulate in the financial district of Makati tion ruling that invalidated
ambassador in Manila, city to protest alleged continued seizure of catches of Filipino fishermen. Beijing's extensive territorial
who assured them that Chi- Associated Press claims in the South China
nese coast guard person- Sea. q
nel would be punished if an stole our catch" and "I can't friendly relations between
investigation finds the ac- fish in our own seas." Some China and the Philippines.
cusations are accurate. brought fish to symbolize Chinese coast guard per-
The recent incidents at what they called China's sonnel at times gave noo-
Scarborough Shoal have "robbery" and "extortion" at dles, cigarettes and water
sparked new criticism after sea. to Filipino fishermen in ex-
a TV network interviewed "What they did to our fish- change for the fish, he said.
fishermen and broadcast a ermen ... shows that they Rommel Sihuela, one of the
video of the alleged confis- have claimed the area three fishermen presented
cations. China has sparked and not only that they stole by Roque at a news con-
alarm with its recent ac- the fishermen's catch that ference in the presiden-
tions to fortify its sweep- was supposed to feed their tial palace on Monday,
ing territorial claims in the families on that day, their said Chinese coast guard
South China Sea, including family went hungry be- personnel boarded Philip-
the reported installation of cause of this," protest lead- pine fishing boats at Scar-
anti-ship and anti-aircraft er Roberto Aleroza said. borough and took some
missiles on its newly built is- Roque said the govern- of their best catch against
lands. ment has taken action to their will. "They went on
The incidents have in- prevent a repeat of the Chi- board, then helped them-
creased pressure on Presi- nese actions. "The Chinese selves in our fish containers,"
dent Rodrigo Duterte's gov- coast guard should not he said. "We just let them
ernment to take a stronger be taking even a kilo and because they may shoo us
stance toward China's be- we're not allowing this," he away again if we don't al-
havior in the disputed wa- said, adding that Duterte low them to take the fish."
ters. Since his inauguration, and Chinese President Xi In December, armed Chi-
Duterte has forged cozier Jinping have agreed that nese personnel seized fish-
ties with China and avoid- Filipinos should be able to ing equipment from Filipino
ed strongly criticizing it in fish freely at Scarborough, fishermen, he said.
public. which was seized by China Two Filipino officials told
Dozens of Filipino fisher- in 2012. The Associated on Friday
men and left-wing activ- Roque, however, suggest- that the Philippines protest-
ists protested at the Chi- ed the Chinese actions ed Chinese seizures of fish
nese Consulate on Mon- were not an act of ha- caught by Filipinos at Scar-
day with posters reading rassment and were just "a borough at a meeting in
"I can't eat today, China dent" that would not affect Manila in February. Chinese