Fishermen who joined the second Atin Ito-led civilian mission to Scarborough Shoal catch fish within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone on May 16, 2024. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

 

Fish

Bianca Dava

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1717043904000171687458676120240516-atin-ito-wps-MT-47.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Fishermen who joined the second Atin Ito-led civilian mission to Scarborough Shoal catch fish within the Philippines&#x27; exclusive economic zone on May 16, 2024. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Fishermen who joined the second Atin Ito-led civilian mission to Scarborough Shoal catch fish within the Philippines&#x27; exclusive economic zone on May 16, 2024. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Thursday said contingency plans were in place should tensions worsen over China&#x27;s imposition of a unilateral fishing ban in the South China Sea, including areas within the country’s exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea.</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>“Hindi natin nire-recognize ang fishing ban na ito. Ito ay sa ating territorial waters at dapat talaga ang ating mga mangingisda can freely fish in these waters,” AFP spokesperson Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla said in an interview on Teleradyo Serbisyo.</p><p>(We don&#x27;t recognize that. This is our territorial waters and our fishermen should be able to fish freely there.)</p><p>“We have contingency plans in place. Regularly naman, meron tayong patrols being done. Nagpapalitan ito. We also have additional resources that are available and on standby,” she added.</p><p>The official assured that the AFP is ready to support the actions of maritime law enforcement agencies, such as the Philippine Coast Guard and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, with regard to China’s fishing moratorium, as well as its new policy authorizing its coast guard to arrest “trespassers” in the South China Sea without trial.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/5/29/china-out-of-their-mind-for-imposing-fishing-ban-in-disputed-sea-ph-navy-1326">• China &#x27;out of their mind&#x27; for imposing &#x27;unilateral&#x27; fishing ban in disputed sea: PH Navy</a></div><div><span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none"> “It is an arrest policy. With that, it is law enforcement. Ang Sandatahang Lakas kasi, we are not law enforcement, but we will support the PCG and BFAR sa kanilang law enforcement activities… We leave it to those in charge of law enforcement. Kung ano man sa aming side on how we will be supporting them, nandiyan po tayo,” <span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none">Padilla said. </span></span></div><div><span id="isPasted">(We&#x27;re not in charge of law enforcement so all we can do is support our coast guard and fisheries agency.)</span></div><div><span id="isPasted"><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/5/20/philippines-to-snub-china-s-arrest-threat-vs-trespassers-1340" id="isPasted">• Philippines to snub China&#x27;s arrest threat vs &#x27;trespassers&#x27;</a></span></div><p>Padilla echoed anew President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s pronouncement that Beijing’s detention policy is unacceptable.</p><p>“Itong arrest policy, nagmula na rin sa ating presidente, this is unacceptable. Being the commander in chief of the AFP, susunod kami sa ganitong pronouncement ng presidente,” she said.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/5/29/marcos-still-open-to-backchannel-talks-any-point-of-contact-with-china-despite-wps-tension-1425">• Marcos still open to backchannel talks, ‘any point of contact’ with China despite WPS tension</a></div><p>Padilla encouraged Filipinos to continue their fishing activities in Philippine waters despite Beijing’s “threats.”</p><p>“Hindi namin sila binabawalan. In fact, iniencourage namin sila to continue on with their daily activities and we assure them we will be supporting them,” Padilla said.</p><p>(We&#x27;re not prohibiting the fishermen; in fact we encourage them to continue with their daily activities.)</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><ivs-player data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-vid="2977368"></ivs-player></div><script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script>

<p>The AFP echoed President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s pronouncement that Beijing’s detention policy is unacceptable.</p>

The AFP echoed President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s pronouncement that Beijing’s detention policy is unacceptable.

AFP 'on standby' as China's fishing ban, arrest policy take effect | ABS-CBN

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AFP 'on standby' as China's fishing ban, arrest policy take effect

AFP 'on standby' as China's fishing ban, arrest policy take effect

Bianca Dava,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 30, 2024 12:47 PM PHT

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Updated May 30, 2024 02:10 PM PHT

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China

South China Sea

West Philippine Sea

fishing ban

detention policy

Filipino fishermen

ANC

AFP

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