Zambales fishermen to join protest vs China’s ‘trespass rule’ in WPS

FLAG OF RESISTANCE A fisherman waves the Philippine flag near a “payao,” or artificial reef close to Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal in the West Philippines Sea to display resistance to Chinese incursions and to show other foreign vessels passing through the area that these waters are part of the country’s exclusive economic zone. —PHOTO FROM BIGKIS

SAN ANTONIO, Zambales – Fisherfolk group Pamalakaya, along with various progressive organizations, will stage a protest against Beijing’s “trespass rule” before its implementation in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

Joey Marabe, Pamalakaya Zambales coordinator, told the Inquirer that some fishermen from this province, who previously ventured into Scarborough Shoal in the WPS, will join the protest on Friday, June 14.

“Similar to our defiance against China’s unjust fishing ban in the South China Sea, we will resist its order to arrest alleged trespassers on our territorial fishing grounds. The four-month fishing ban accompanied by a ‘trespass rule’ has no legal, political, or moral basis,” said Marabe.

He added that it is Beijing’s reclamation activities, massive poaching, and other illegal harvesting practices that should be prohibited in the country’s territorial waters.

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“These destructive activities have already cost us our marine ecosystems and a significant portion of the income for Filipino fishermen,” said Marabe.

Records from Pamalakaya showed that the fishing income of fishermen has dropped by 80 percent because of Beijing’s militarization and destructive fishing activities in the country’s waters.

With this, Pamalakaya asserted their call to demilitarize WPS which would dismantle military facilities, and expel all foreign warships with no exception, saying that the exclusive economic zone should be maintained for fishing and economic activities,”

Under a new regulation, China Coast Guard has been authorized to detain foreigners it perceives as trespassers in the South China Sea, for up to 30 days. The regulation coincides with Beijing’s unilateral fishing ban. INQ