President Duterte has called on China to prohibit their fishermen from venturing inside the Scarborough Shoal just like action taken by the Philippines.
The President maintained that the lagoon within the Panatag Shoal should be kept off limits to fishing activities to protect the vital spawning grounds of fishes.
“China should also give the same order not to fish on the spawning ground because kanila iyan rin, dapat guwardiyahan nila. Eh sabi nila kanila,” Duterte said during a media interview in Davao City. “Eh ako, akin iyan eh, sabihin ko huwag mong sirain iyan kasi pagkain iyan ng Pilipino,” he added.
Duterte said even if there had been no territorial dispute, it was “common sense” for nations “not to destroy the source of the life” in the sea.
The President earlier proposed to declare the vast lagoon inside Panatag Shoal a marine sanctuary effectively banning fishing activities. An executive order on the proposed marine sanctuary is expected to issued soon.
(Genalyn D. Kabiling)
