Boat sinking a ‘maritime incident, plain and simple’ – Piñol

A Chinese vessel caused the sinking of a Filipino fishing boat in disputed waters, but it remains to be seen whether the “ramming” was intentional, the government said on Monday.

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, who has been designated by Malacañang as the point person in the case, said the matter was a “maritime incident, plain and simple” that was being blown “out of proportion.”

The Philippines, which filed a diplomatic protest last Wednesday following the June 9 sinking of the F/B Gem-Ver (earlier identified as the Gemvir 1) off Reed Bank in the West Philippine (South China) Sea, was warned by Beijing last week from politicizing what it called an “ordinary maritime traffic accident.”





“It was a ramming incident. Was it intentional? That is something that will have to be established by investigation,” Pinol told reporters.

The “gist of the fishermen’s complaint,” he added, was that the Chinese fishing vessel had failed to render assistance.

Piñol’s appointment as point person came after two Cabinet clusters — Economic Development and Security, Justice and Peace (headed by Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez 3rd and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, respectively) — were ordered to lead discussions about the sinking.

In a statement, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi would be the co-lead in further talks to determine the liabilities involved and the most effective means to obtain justice.

“These efforts will be complemented by further investigations to be jointly led by the Maritime Authority and the Philippine Coast Guard,” Nograles said.

Duterte silence defended

With President Rodrigo Duterte having come under fire for not personally addressing the issue, Piñol also said “you have to understand the position of the president because he has to listen to all sides.”

“President Duterte was right in showing restraint in making rush decisions over that incident in Recto Bank because ngayon lumalabas ‘yung mga detalye na magpapatunay na marami pang anggulo na dapat tingnan (now there are details coming out that show there are other angles to consider),” he said.

Senator-elect Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, a former presidential aide, also came to Duterte’s defense, issuing a statement that the President was monitoring the situation.

“President Rodrigo Duterte has already been informed about this incident and is closely monitoring the situation,” he said.

“Our stand is to diplomatically work with the Chinese government to investigate the matter fairly, to impose certain measures so that such incidents can be avoided, and to impose sanctions against those behind the recent incident,” Go added.

“We are currently waiting for the result of the ongoing investigation of both the Chinese government and our government to determine exactly whether the collision was a maritime accident or an intentional act on the part of the Chinese vessel.”

Filipinos not ‘slaves’

Malacañang also rebuffed a statement by Gem-Ver owner Felix de la Torre that the incident made him feel that Filipinos were being made “slaves of China,” with Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo telling reporters “we can never be slaves to anyone.”

Piñol said the boat’s cook, Richard Blaza, had denied that Filipino fishers were constantly being harassed by Chinese vessels.

“This is the first incident na nabangga sila (where they were hit)… So, ‘yung palabas na para bang aping-api tayo dun, inaapi mga mangingisda, ‘yung statement ng witness says otherwise (the witness’ statement belies the claim that we are being abused, the fisherman are being abused),” he said.

“Our request is for the people to exercise restraint in handling this issue. Don’t make speculations and let’s look at this calmly because this will have a big impact on our international relations and we don’t want this incident to be blown out of proportion.”

Cabinet ‘fifth column’?

As this developed, Sen. Ana Theresia “Risa” Hontiveros criticized Piñol’s co-lead, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, for saying the sinking was unintentional.

“Secretary Alfonso Cusi’s comments are the height of insensitivity to our poor fisherfolk, ignorance of facts and even bordering on the treacherous,” Hontiveros said in a statement.

“It becomes completely understandable, then, why Junel Insigne, captain of the F/B GEM-VIR 1, backed out of the meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte. With public officials like Secretary Cusi, who needs enemies?” she added.

“Is there some kind of ‘fifth column’ within the Cabinet that favors China’s attempts to silence the issue, instead of trying to investigate the matter thoroughly and look after our fishermen?”

Collision likely unintentional

A former member of the Board of Marine Inquiry, meanwhile, also said it appeared the incident did not appear to be deliberate.

Speaking at the sidelines of a maritime forum in Bataan, Capt. Demy Ferrer said it would be stupid for the Chinese vessel’s captain to risk his boat.

“In my opinion, the Chinese vessel suffered [sic] a poor maneuvering,” Ferrer said.

Those aboard the Yuemaobinyu 42212 would have also been aware that an intentional ramming would create an international incident, he added.

Still, Ferrer said he was not rejecting the Gem-Ver crew’s account of the incident, noting that an investigation had yet to be completed.

WITH REPORTS FROM BERNADETTE E. TAMAYO, RAFFY AYENG AND RALPH U. VILLANUEVA