18 May 2 Chinese Fishing Vessels Bearing An Inverted Philippine Flag Accosted in Batanes
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25 chinese crew members boarding 2 fish vessels that raised an inverted Philippine flag were arrested by the authority after they were sighted within the Philippine seas on Monday.
According to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resource (BFAR) and the Philippine Coast guard (PCG), the 2 fishing vessels namely Shen Lian Cheng 719 and Shen Lian Cheng 720 were seen roaming in Batanes seas. The authorities were suspecting that the Chinese put up the Philippine flag to deceive anyone that sees them. Until it was confirmed that the people inside the fishing vessels were foreigners, they were brought to Basco, Batanes for investigation. They thought to be involved with illegal fishing in the territory of the Philippines.
“Based on existing rules, the fact that both foreign fishing vessels were flying Philippine flag gave rise to the presumption that they are engaged in poaching, as there seems to be an attempt to conceal the vessels’ true identity to enable themselves to engage in fishing activity in Philippine waters,” said Usec. Asis Perez of the Department of Agriculture.
BFAR were said to have informed the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) regarding the arrest of the chinese fishers. They hoped that the DFA have already informed the said case to the Chinese embassy in Manila.
Perez said that the foreigners will be filed with charges once they are confirmed to be fishing within the waters of the Philippines. But for the mean time, they don’t have an interpreter to be able to speak with the foreigners. It is being stated in the rules, so as to avoid misunderstanding between the two groups and also, to protect their rights.
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