Chinese ramming vessel still out there – unpunished GOTCHA - Jarius Bondoc (The Philippine Star) - July 3, 2019 - 12:00am Rodrigo Duterte wishes China to guarantee Filipino fishers’ rights and safety, Malacañang stated yesterday. That shows China is boss. The President was referring to Recto Bank, in Philippine exclusive economic zone, where a Chinese steel vessel rammed a Filipino wooden boat. By Constitution and world law the Philippines is the one accountable in its maritime jurisdiction. But China always wants its way. Baselessly it claims the entire South China Sea, including Recto, as internal waters. Ships traversing even international portions must submit. When Manila cried that 22 Filipinos thrown overboard cruelly were left at sea, Beijing insisted the rammer had to avoid swarming by others. As Manila began to check on the victims, Beijing demanded joint investigation. Suggesting a third-party prober … [Read more...] about Chinese ramming vessel still out there – unpunished
Chinese fishing vessels
OPINION: Why is there a Chinese military vessel in Reed Bank?
Supreme Court Justice Antonio T. Carpio believes that it was not a collision of fishing vessels that happened on June 9 in Reed Bank (Philippine name: Recto Bank; Chinese name: Liyue Tan), 80 nautical miles off Palawan and within the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone. It was a Chinese militia ship ramming a Philippine fishing vessel. “China’s maritime militia vessels have reinforced steel hulls purposely for ramming fishing vessels of other coastal states. No other coastal state has fishing vessels purposely designed for ramming other fishing vessels. Captains of ordinary Chinese fishing vessels do not engage in ramming for fear of inflicting damage to their own vessels. It is thus highly likely that a Chinese maritime militia vessel rammed the Filipino fishing vessel F/B Gimver 1,” Carpio said in a statement. The statement from Chinese Embassy in Manila insisted that it was "a Chinese fishing boat from Guangdong Province, China” and identified it as … [Read more...] about OPINION: Why is there a Chinese military vessel in Reed Bank?
Philippine fishing boat hit by China ship, sinks
Philippine fishing boat hit by China ship, sinks Chinese vessel flees; Phl protest urged MANILA, Philippines — A Chinese vessel hit and sank a Filipino fishing boat anchored in Recto Bank in Palawan last weekend, and sailed away without rescuing the Filipino fishermen floundering in the water. Vietnamese fishermen later arrived to help the Filipinos. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana yesterday lashed out at the Chinese for abandoning the distressed Filipino crew of F/B Gimver 1 after what he described as a “collision” on Sunday in the vicinity of Recto or Reed Bank in the West Philippine Sea, over which the Philippines has been awarded sovereign rights. “We denounce the actions of the Chinese fishing vessel for immediately leaving the incident scene and abandoning the 22 crewmen to the mercy of the elements. The F/B Gimver 1 was anchored at the time when it was hit by the Chinese fishing vessel,” Lorenzana said. He was … [Read more...] about Philippine fishing boat hit by China ship, sinks
Philippines blasts ‘cowardly Chinese boat’ over sinking
MANILA: The Philippines on Wednesday (Jun 12) condemned the "cowardly action" of a suspected Chinese fishing vessel accused of abandoning a Filipino fishing crew after a collision in the disputed South China Sea.The boat on Sunday hit a Filipino craft anchored near Reed Bank - claimed by both Manila and Beijing - causing it to sink and leaving 22 crewmen "to the mercy of the elements", said defence secretary Delfin Lorenzana.Although Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has largely set aside the bitter dispute with Beijing over the resource-rich waterway, Manila does sometimes protest against Chinese action."We condemn in the strongest terms the cowardly action of the suspected Chinese fishing vessel and its crew for abandoning the Filipino crew," Lorenzana said in a statement."This is not the expected action from a responsible and friendly people."Lorenzana called for an investigation into the collision, and for "diplomatic steps" to prevent a repeat of the incident.However, … [Read more...] about Philippines blasts ‘cowardly Chinese boat’ over sinking
Floating sweatshops: Is the fish you eat caught by ‘slaves’?
JAKARTA: Enslaved, beaten, malnourished, and so desperate for water he had to collect condensation to drink: Rahmatullah left Indonesia seeking better prospects at sea - instead he endured a living hell.The global fishing industry is riddled with forced labour, anti-trafficking experts say, warning that consumers are unaware of the "true cost" of the seafood they buy in stores and restaurants.Exploited workers face non-payment, overwork, violence, injury, and even death. Indonesia and Southeast Asia are major sources of such labour and unscrupulous brokers target the poor and uneducated with promises of good wages at sea.Rahmatullah was told he was heading to Peruvian waters where he would receive US$400 a month salary, plus a per tonne bonus, but he was allegedly duped by an Indonesian recruiting agency and trafficked to Somalia, where he spent nine brutal months aboard a Chinese fishing vessel, working 18-hour days."I felt like a slave," the 24-year-old said, adding: "The … [Read more...] about Floating sweatshops: Is the fish you eat caught by ‘slaves’?