Marcos admin got your back, Romualdez reassures Pinoy fishermen
At A Glance
- House Speaker Martin Romualdez has reassured Filipino fishermen of the Marcos administration's intent to protect them from China's bullying and harassment, and possibly from illegal detention.
House Speaker Martin Romualdez (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)
House Speaker Martin Romualdez has reassured Filipino fishermen of the Marcos administration's intent to protect them from China's bullying and harassment, and possibly from illegal detention.
On Friday, May 31, Romualdez said President Marcos “will do everything it can to protect our fishermen in pursing their economic and livelihood activities within our exclusive economic zone (EEZ), including Bajo de Masinloc near Zambales and Pangasinan.”
“We will use all the powers we have to keep them safe,” underscored the House leader.
May 31 is National Fisherfolk Day. Incidentally, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson claimed that the Philippines need not worry about a Chinese plan to detain “trespassers” at sea for at least 60 days without trial.
The past few months have seen very aggressive acts on the part of China against Philippine assets in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
These have included water cannon attacks by China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels on Philippine resupply boats going to BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal, which is clearly within the Philppines' EEZ.
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China also recently announced that it would start detaining foreigners who trespass in its territorial waters beginning June 15. Needless to say, this has caused great anxiety to local fishermen.
Romualdez, the leader of the 300-plus-strong House, said China should stop threatening with detention Filipinos fishing within the Philippines’ EEZ.
“Our countrymen cannot be considered as trespassers. It is the Chinese and other foreigners illegally entering our maritime waters under international law who will be treated as intruders,” he said.