Fish stories

On its face, the ramming of a Philippine fishing boat by a vessel of purported Chinese ownership and the fishermen’s struggle to survive make for gripping reading, rather like an adventure on the high seas where the heroes keep themselves alive on little more than grit and rainwater. But occurring as it does during a standoff between the Philippines and China over Panatag Shoal (Scarborough Shoal), it comes across as an act of aggression, particularly in the wake of a China News Agency report quoting the director of the People’s Liberation Army Navy as ordering its officers to intercept and search Philippine vessels that linger in the area. Philippine authorities were quick to douse any misplaced flag-burning ardor, with President Aquino himself noting that the investigation was yet incomplete. And Vice Adm. Edmund Tan, the commandant of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), was said to have categorically stated that the incident that occurred in waters off Bolinao, Pangasinan, was not related to the territorial dispute over Panatag.

But the story has gotten murky. According to the PCG, it was only the Hong Kong-registered cargo ship MV Peach Mountain that passed the area and most likely hit and demolished the wooden fishing boat AXL John and then continued sailing. This would jibe with the account of fisherman Herman Balmores, who recalled seeing the mark “Hong Kong,” with Chinese characters below it, on the ship’s stern. But Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin is now saying that boat captain Emedio Balmores had submitted a sworn statement saying the Peach Mountain had only passed the AXL John; Malacañang is likewise saying it was another Hong Kong-registered vessel that did the fishing boat in. The story has become as opaque as an overcast sky. What is clear as of this writing is that of the eight fishermen aboard the AXL John, four were rescued but one has since died, and four remain missing.

These are the circumstances as recounted by the survivors: At noon of June 20 the AXL John was tied to an artificial reef in Bolinao waters—its two engines having died while the boat was being battered by huge waves on the previous night—when the cargo ship with the “Hong Kong” mark bore down on it and tore it apart. When the tumultuous moment passed (doubtless unthinkable for those who had only seconds earlier perceived the ship as their salvation), eight fishermen found themselves in the sea along with the detritus of their boat. They cast about for serviceable debris and hung on for dear life. By the next day, there were only four of them left; staying alive meant subsisting on rainwater and the fish they had caught, and when that ran out, making do with chunks of the Styrofoam ice boxes that they had used to store their catch. They were rescued on June 23 by two fishermen from Magsingal, Ilocos Sur, and taken to a hospital in Vigan City. Unhappily, Christopher Carbonel, the weakest among them by dint of his injuries, gave up the ghost.

Stories of surviving long days of floating in the open sea never cease to amaze. But Pangasinan Rep. Jesus Celeste was reported surprised that the incident—apparently commonplace, indeed “normal” in the estimation of a “fisherman” like himself—had become a national issue. His subtext seems to be that being rammed by a foreign vessel in Philippine waters is par for the course. But the unjaded observer would point out that the casualty count of one dead and four missing should still account for something, and that letting such incidents die in the water, as it were, would strengthen the culture of impunity that permeates Philippine life. (As the AXL John owner recounted, this was the second time a large vessel had destroyed a boat of hers. A similar incident happened four years ago, she said, and two fishermen have yet to be found.)

Philippine authorities should make haste to look into the wrecking of the AXL John, announce the results of its investigation, and file the necessary charges. It is urgent that clear and concise language be used, to banish the suspicion that they are not weaving fish stories in crucial matters. For example, the earlier announcement on China’s supposed agreement to withdraw its vessels from Panatag and China’s subsequent denial of such a commitment have resulted in an annoying confusion. The confusion remains, with Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario saying on Monday that China had pulled out its fishing boats from Panatag’s lagoon—and a Philippine Navy reconnaissance plane reportedly spotting at least six Chinese fishing vessels and 17 dinghies still in the disputed area.