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Fishermen in the West Philippine Sea gather at a rendevous point with civilian mission Atin Ito to receive food and fuel on May 15, 2024. ABS-CBN News 

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Fish

Willard Cheng

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1716537201055171582647013120240515-aitn-ito-wps-mission-2.jpeg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Fishermen in the West Philippine Sea gather with civilian mission Atin Ito to receive food and fuel on May 15, 2024. <em>ABS-CBN News/file</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — Fisherfolk from Masinloc, Zambales will not heed the threat of China that its Coast Guard would arrest and detain without trial anyone who enters its claimed waters.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/01/22/24/chinese-coast-guard-harass-filipino-fishermen-anew">• Chinese coast guard harass Filipino fishermen in Scarborough Shoal anew</a></div><p> In a forum organized by the Peoples Development Institute (PDI) and the UP Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea (UP-IMLOS), Henrelito Empoc, spokesperson of Bigkis ng mga Mangingisda, said Filipino fisherfolk cannot be stopped from going to Bajo de Masinloc since this is their source of livelihood.</p><p>“Totoo po yan nakakatakot po… Pero para po sa aming mangingisda, hindi po namin papansinin yang batas na yan kasi doon po kami nabubuhay. Doon po nabubuhay ang aming pamilya. Kaya lahat po ipaglalaban namin, gagawin para sa aming pamilya, para sa sambayanang Pilipino,” Ompoc said.</p><p>(We&#x27;re really frightened. But we are fishermen and that&#x27;s where we get our livelihood. We will ignore their law. This is for our family and for the Philippines.) </p><p>Fisherman Christopher de Vera, Sr. said fisherfolk seek refuge from Scarborough Shoal during bad weather. </p><p>“Dyan po kami magshe-shelter. Napakaganda po nyan pag napunta kayo nang masama ang panahon, malakas ang hangin. Malaking alon, bagyo. Dyan po kami pumapasok, nagsheshelter. Safe po kami dyan. Napakahalaga po sa amin yan. Babalik at babalik kami dyan,” de Vera said.</p><p>(That&#x27;s where we take shelter during bad weather. We&#x27;re safe there. We will keep coming back there.)</p><div><strong>KIDNAPPING?</strong></div><p> Dr. Jay Batongbacal, Director of UP-IMLOS, said the Chinese law threatening to arrest and detain what it considers as trespassers is vague, illegal and invalid and cannot be applied to Filipinos as China has no territory in Philippine waters.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/5/17/china-oks-coast-guard-power-to-detain-trespassers-without-trial-report-1144">• China OKs coast guard power to detain &#x27;trespassers&#x27; without trial: report</a></div><p>“Kung pipilitin po nilang gawin yan dito sa WPS, wala pong bisa yan. Illegal and invalid po yan dahil wala naman silang boundaries dito sa West Philippine Sea. Kanilang imagination yan,” Batongbacal said. </p><p>China, he said, should respond to Philippine demands for the release of a detainee by diplomatic means should it reach that point.</p><p>“Kapag ginawa po nila yun para sa akin, parang kidnapping nga yun kasi hinuli, arbitrary detention tapos opisyal pa ang gumawa. At dahil doon meron pong tungkulin ang Tsina na mag responde sa Pilipinas kung sakaling umabot sa punto na kailangang idemand ng Pilipinas na irelease yung kanilang citizen,” Batongbacal said.</p><p>(If they do that, it&#x27;s like kidnapping or arbitrary detention. They have the obligation to respond to the Philippines should we reach that point.) </p><p>The Bigkis ng mga Mangingisda called on government to defend and protect the rights of Filipino fishermen to freely fish in Bajo de Masinloc and other parts of the West Philippine Sea, citing the negative effects of Chinese incursion to their livelihood, to the environment and their physical and psychological well being. </p><p>They called for the implementation of the 2016 arbitral ruling under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), effective protection from the Philippine Coast Guard and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. and livelihood support from the government. </p><p>They also demanded an apology from China and the payment of damages for their “crimes against Filipino fishermen.”</p><p> “Sa ilalim ng mga karapatang pang-kabuhayan, panglipunan at kultural ng United Nations, obligado ang Tsina na magbayad ng danyos-perwisyo sa pagkasira sa karagatan ng Pilipinas,” the Bigkis ng Mangingisda Federation said in a statement.</p><div><strong>TRAUMA</strong></div><p> They said many of them have suffered injuries and trauma as a result. </p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/5/15/philippine-civilian-convoy-sails-towards-disputed-reef-827">• Filipino activists and fishermen sail in 100-boat flotilla to disputed shoal guarded by China</a></div><p>One of them, Eddie Edora, recalled being chased away by Chinese rubber boats and was forced to walk on corals by the Chinese just to make sure that Filipino fishermen go back to shore. He showed the scars from the injuries he suffered at that time. </p><p>“Bali walo po sila, ang iingay po nila, ang tatapang. Talang go, go! Inikot ikutan po nila kami hindi po sila uuwi hanggang hindi kami nakarating sa pampang. Yan po ang ginawa nila sa amin, kung gaanong hirap na dinanas namin sa China,” Edora said. </p><p>The fishermen were in Manila to attend an event of the PDI and the UP-IMLOS where a photo exhibit and documentary was launched to highlight the effects of the dispute in the WPS on the fisherfolk who endure the brunt of the conflict. </p><p>“Through this activity, we hope to expose and heighten public awareness on the effects and impact of Chinese incursions, harassment, and intimidation on their lives and livelihood,” the organizers said.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Mg6YWapKUGI?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>They also demanded an apology from China and the payment of damages for their “crimes against Filipino fishermen.”</p>

They also demanded an apology from China and the payment of damages for their “crimes against Filipino fishermen.”

PH fisherfolk to defy China 'arrest threat'

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PH fisherfolk to defy China 'arrest threat'

Willard Cheng,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 24, 2024 04:29 PM PHT

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China

South China Sea

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fishermen

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West Philippine Sea

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