Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, together with the 22 rescued fishermen who called themselves the “Recto Bank 22,” denounced the act of the crew of the Chinese vessel for abandoning them after ramming their boat, the F/B Gem-Vir 1.
“We denounce the act of the Chinese vessel in abandoning the fishermen in distress,” Piñol said in a press conference held at the Sangguniang Bayan conference room of San Jose, Occcidental Mindoro.
“Regardless of whether it was accidental or intentional, there is no justification (for) the act of the Chinese vessel to abandon the Filipino fishermen who were already in distress,” the agriculture chief said.
Under international maritime laws, “such act is illegal,” Piñol said. “Under human laws, that is immoral,” he added.
“Under human laws, that is immoral.”
He had a closed-door meeting with the 22 fishermen and the owner of F/B Gem-Vir 1 which figured in the Recto Bank incident.
Piñol said the fishermen are asking President Rodrigo Duterte “to make representation with the Chinese government so that the skipper (captain) and the crew members of the Chinese vessel, which figured in the incident, will be held accountable criminally because of the act of abandoning them.”
The 22 fishermen also asked the President that Recto Bank, which is their traditional fishing ground, be secured as an exclusive fishing ground for Filipino fishers.
Piñol said the fishermen are also appealing to those who are “riding” on the issue, to stop making it political.
“Gumugulo lang ang buhay nila (The fishermen’s lives are being messed up),” he said.
“The fishermen’s lives are being messed up.”
Junel Insigne, the captain of the Filipino fishing boat, in an interview, appealed to the President for justice for what he and his crew had suffered.
“Humihingi ako ng tulong sa Presidente na sana managot ang kapitan at mga crew ng Chinese vessel na bumangga sa min. Yun lang po ang hinihiling namin (I am asking the President for help and we want the captain and crew of the Chinese vessel who hit us to be held liable for what they did to us. That is what we are requesting),” he said.