Malacañang yesterday assured that someone will be held responsible for the sinking of the Philippine fishing vessel and the abandonment of its 22-man crew in the West Philippine Sea recently.
Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo made the statement as the government moves to assist the 22 distressed Filipino fishermen who were rescued by a Vietnamese vessel.
In an interview with ANC, Panelo reiterated that the abandonment of the Filipino fishermen was a violation of the United Nations Convention for the Law of the Sea, hence, someone should be held responsible.
“We will not allow absence of responsibility on the part of the wrongdoers. And in fact, even the Chinese government said so itself na hindi rin sila papayag na ganoon,” he said. “In fact, China said, irresponsible behavior iyong abandonment,” he added.
According to Panelo, it is now more important to discuss what action should be taken against the Chinese seamen who abandoned the Filipino fishermen over whether the incident was intentional or not. “Palagay ko ang mas mahalagang pag-usapan, anong gagawin natin sa ginawang abandonment sapagkat it’s a violation on the UNCLOS kung hindi nila tinulungan ito,” he said.
China had earlier confirmed that a Chinese vessel indeed hit the Filipino boat but fled the scene for fear of being besieged by other Filipino vessels in the area.
Panelo said the government wants to know the basis why the Chinese crew fled because it may be justified. “We want to know bakit kayo natakot? Was this fear justified?” Panelo said. “Kasi even under the UNCLOS, while you are required to give assistance to ship or passengers in a vessel in distress, if it endangers your own safety, you are not required to do that,” he added.
Meanwhile, it would be “premature” and “reckless” for the country to invoke its Mutual Defense Treaty with the United States in dealing with the sinking of a Filipino fishing boat by a Chinese vessel, Malacañang declared yesterday.
Panelo explained that they could not use the defense treaty with the United States because it was not yet clear if the Recto Bank incident was an act of aggression.
Panelo said the government was still waiting for the results of the investigation into the incident before taking the next course of action.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson had earlier said the MDT was only weapon left in its arsenal. The senator said he was hoping for a balance of power in the West Philippine Sea following the June 9 incident.
“Mawalang-galang na sa kaibigan kong si Ping pero I think ‘yun ang tinatawag na reckless at premature. Bakit ‘ka n’yo? Eh, wala pa namang act of aggression, hindi pa nga natin alam. Ano bang nangyari doon, is it intentional or accident?” Panelo said in a radio interview. “Assuming na intentional, ang susunod na tanong una doon, ‘yun ba sanctioned by the Chinese government? Sinadya ba nila ‘yun? ‘Yun ang mga tanong, hindi ka basta babanat,” he added.
Under the MDT, the Philippines and the United States would help each other if either of them is under external armed attack in the Pacific. The treaty was signed on Aug. 30, 1951. (Argyll Geducos and Genalyn Kabiling)
