Tolentino: Fisher who survived ‘hit-and-run’ at Bajo de Masinloc recovering

Senate Majority Leader Francis ‘Tol’ Tolentino reports that Robert Mondeñedo, one of the two fishermen, who figured in a ‘hit-and-run’ incident off Bajo de Masinloc is still recovering. But his brother Jose has yet to be located and recovered by the Philippine Coast Guard. FILE PHOTO

Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino on Wednesday reported that the Filipino fisherman who survived a ‘hit-and-run’ collision last July 7 off the waters of Bajo de Masinloc, Zambales, is still recovering from the ordeal, while the brother, who went missing after the incident, has yet to be located.

It was Tolentino who first broke the news on Tuesday about a foreign commercial vessel that ran over and destroyed a fishing boat being used by Robert Mondeñedo, 47, and his younger brother Jose, 45, both fishermen from Subic, Zambales.

READ: Filipino fisher missing in West PH Sea after boat hit by ‘unidentified’ ship

“Nakausap ko mismo si Robert at nakausap ko rin ang pamilya ni Jose Mondeñedo at papasyalan ko sila sa Zambales sa July 16. Pinadalhan ko na rin po ng tulong pinansyal,’ shared the senator.

“Ang ilang ahensya ng pamahalaan ay sinulatan ko ngayon, gaya ng Department of Justice, para tumulong sa kaso,” he added.

“Parang ‘hit-and-run’ in our own seas po ang nangyari last July 7,” the senator said of the incident.

“I remain hopeful that our coast guard can recover safely our missing fisherman, Jose Mondeñedo, and that justice be given to him and his brother Robert, and their families,” he said.

Furthermore, the senator said that the foreign shipping vessel, whose body bore Chinese characters and was described by Robert as bearing the words ‘Yang Fu’ on the ship’s rear part, should be tracked down and held accountable.

“The ship responsible, initially identified as Yang Fu, must be tracked down and held accountable under Philippine and international maritime laws,” he concluded.