Malacañang announced on Fri, Oct 28, that Filipino fishermen may now fish in peace in the disputed Scarborough (Panatag) Shoal after four years of China’s illegal landgrabbing and bullying in the area.
Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a press briefing on Fri that Filipino fishermen have been fishing without distrubance from Chinese Coast Guard vessels for at least three days.
This is considered a major development since President Rodrigo Duterte’s much talked about visit to China last week.
“It has been observed that there are no longer any Chinese Coast Guard vessels, and that Filipino fishing boats are no longer being intercepted and that they are now able to fish in the area without being intercepted,” Abella said.
How did the Malacañang find out about this? Well…
“Apparently, there have been some physical observations in the area,” Abella quipped when asked about the source.
However, according to InterAksyon.com, several radio reports say the Chinese Coast Guard is no longer harrassing Filipino fishermen.
Good to know, since the Scarborough Shoal belongs to the Filipinos, as declared by the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague in Jul 2016.
In another report by GMA News, fishermen from the northern province of Pangasinan returned from Scarborough Shoal on Sat (Oct 29) morning “with a huge load of big species of fish.”
