THE Philippine military said Wednesday, March 6, they are yet to receive a report that would support the claim of Kalayaan Mayor Roberto del Mundo that Chinese vessels are blocking the access of fishermen in the sandbars nearest to Pag-asa Island.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said he already ordered the verification of Del Mundo’s claim.
But he said that based on initial communication from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Western Command (Wescom), “there has been no substantiated report from our units on the ground confirming Mayor Del Mundo’s statement.”
“The AFP, through the Naval Forces West under Wescom, will nonetheless continuously validate and report any information relevant to Mayor Del Mundo’s claims,” said Lorenzana.
The Wescom, on the other hand, encouraged fishermen in the area to continue their activities there, as it has been observed that they have not been fishing in the vicinity of the sandbar, even before the Chinese fishing vessels were sighted in the area.
Wescom spokesperson Captain Cherryl Tindog said based on their records, from January 2018 to March 2019, only one local fishing vessel ventured near the Sandbar 3.
Tindog said their personnel are also engaging with fishermen in the area from time to time to know their concerns, particularly if they are experiencing harassment.
Earlier, Del Mundo said he spotted as many as 50 Chinese vessels in the area the time he stayed in an island near Pag-asa.
He said the presence of the Chinese vessels in the area causes fear among the fishermen.
The area referred to by Del Mundo is a traditional fishing ground for the Philippines and other countries, including China and Vietnam. (SunStar Philippines)