By Jeffrey Damicog

Supreme Court (SC) Justice Antonio Carpio warned that China could deplete the fishery resources at Reed Bank if its fishermen are allowed to continue trawling in the area.

“China has the largest fishing fleet in the world with huge modern trawlers. The Filipinos only have wooden boats with outriggers. The Chinese can deplete the fish in Reed Bank very quickly,” he said in a statement.

With this, the magistrate reiterated his stance against the willingness of President Rodrigo Duterte to allow China to fish within the Philippine’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Duterte revealed that he and Chinese President Xi Jinping have already made a verbal agreement over the matter following the controversy surrounding the sinking of a Filipino fishing vessel by a Chinese vessel in Reed Bank, also known Recto Bank.

“This verbal agreement, aside from being clearly against the Constitution, is so lopsided it should be rejected by the Philippine government. Reed Bank is within Phillippine EEZ. Under the Constitution, the use and enjoyment of the fish and other natural resources within Philippine EEZ is reserved exclusively for Filipinos,” stated Carpio.

Meanwhile, the magistrate expressed support to Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Teodoro “Teddyboy” Locsin Jr. who said there was no official Philippine government policy yet with regards allowing China to fish within the EEZ.

“DFA Secretary is correct that there is no official policy allowing the Chinese to fish in Reed Bank. Secretary Locsin knows that there is no recorded minutes of the so-called verbal agreement between President Xi and President Duterte allowing the Chinese to fish in Reed Bank in exchange for Filipinos fishing in Scarborough Shoal,” Carpio said.

“Any such verbal agreement, if confirmed by the Philippine government, will bind the Philippines to allow the Chinese to fish in Reed Bank for as long as China allows Filipinos to fish in Scarborough Shoal,” he added.