Rody’s ‘friendship’—and PH’s territorial row—with China

DESPITE the Permanent Court of Arbitration’s July 12 ruling that favored the Philippines, China continues to occupy Bajo de Masinloc (also known as Scarborough Shoal) which is part of the Philippines, obviously with the intent to occupy it and create an artificial island out of it, harassing Filipinos who go there to fish for a living. According to the Philippine Coast Guard, last Sept. 6, three Chinese rubber boats blocked Filipino fishermen aboard two fishing boats from entering the shoal, a traditional fishing ground of Filipinos, ordering the latter to leave.

Filipino fishermen have been the subject of harassment and intimidation by the Chinese since the dispute over the West Philippine Sea erupted. This bullying by the Chinese should stop.

Now that President Duterte has established a sort of cordial relations and is now in good terms with the Chinese government, he should ask Beijing to stop driving Filipino fishermen from their traditional fishing grounds in the West Philippine Sea, a sub-issue in our country’s territorial dispute with China. We urge the President to use his newfound friendship with the Chinese for the benefit of our impoverished fishermen, whose livelihood was the first “casualty” in our dispute with China.

President Duterte is now in a position to table the dispute with China and negotiate for a peaceful resolution to the conflict in a manner that will affirm Philippine sovereignty and territorial integrity.

—FERNANDO HICAP, chair, Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya-Pilipinas), pamalakayapid@gmail.com