DFA chief: China harassment a ‘daily’...

or aggressive moves,” he said.

He noted the Philippines’ “resoundingly victorious 2016 arbitral award against China, [which] basically provides a mooring, at least as far as we’re concerned, for the maritime regime in the South China Sea, especially because it’s based on the Unclos.”

But while he asserted the country’s rights over its maritime territory, Manalo also said that “it’s a very complex situation [we face since] the Philippines and other countries in the region have very strong links with China on the economic and cultural front.”

The Chinese Embassy in Manila has yet to respond to the Inquirer’s request for comment on Manalo’s remarks.

Marcos OKs 19...

“This document outlines the country’s ten-year vision and long-term goals for innovation and thus, serves as a detailed roadmap towards improving innovation governance,” he said.

To recall, the National Innovation Council is a 25-member body tasked to develop the country’s innovation goals, priorities, and long-term national strategy.

The president serves as the Council’s chairman, with the secretary of the NEDA as vice chairman. They are joined by sixteen ex-officio members along with seven executive members from the private sector who were nominated during the meeting. g

‘They’re really driving us away’

Earlier last week, fishermen facing China’s harassment in the West Philippine Sea took part in a seminar on fishing rights led by the Peoples Development Institute.

In an interview with the Inquirer on the sidelines of that event last Thursday, February 16, they also shared videos documenting their recent experiences near Panatag (Scarborough Shoal).

On Feb. 6, when a Chinese ship aimed a laser at a PCG vessel near Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal, the fishermen said they were also harassed by the CCG, which deployed its personnel on two rubber boats to chase one of them out of Panatag Shoal.

“They shouted and honked at him. ‘No fishing inside! Go outside!’” fisherman Christopher de Vera, who witnessed the incident, said, adding that Chinese maritime militia vessels also surrounded their boats that day.

“Those are six Chinese militias… They’re just there,” he was recorded as saying in one of the videos.

“Two rubber boats are now chasing away one fisherman in a fishing boat inside [the lagoon] of Scarborough Shoal. They’re really driving us away, they don’t want us inside,” he said in another footage on the same incident.

“There have been so many [of these instances] that I could no longer keep track of them. We want to fish inside the lagoon, too. There’s more catch and we can seek shelter there during bad weather,” De Vera said.

He recalled that as early as 2016, the CCG was already directing a laser at them at Panatag Shoal.

“They first used a searchlight when we approached near the shoal at night. They later used a laser so we ducked for cover as our eyes went burning. The light was overwhelming and we went blind for a few minutes,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sen. Francis Escudero said on Sunday, February 19 that the government should not have cold feet in dealing with China’s actions even as he opposed calls to remove the PCG as an attached agency of the Department of Transportation (DOTr).

Coast Guard transfer

“We shouldn’t be doing something out of fear that it might anger or be misinterpreted by China, which is trying to seize part of our territory,” he said.

“If you remove the (PCG) from the DOTr and transfer it to the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines), the first question is, what’s their difference with the Philippine Navy?” Escudero asked.

“Secondly, if we consider [PCG] as a military (unit), then we could no longer deny that the Philippine military will be up against China’s military in the West Philippine Sea. And the next step will be a declaration of war, which, I believe, nobody wants to happen,” he added.

The AFP also said on Sunday that its “troops are resolute in ensuring that the interests of the Filipino people in the West Philippine Sea are protected,” a day after President Marcos said the Philippines “will not lose one inch” of territory amid a fresh territorial spat between Manila and Beijing.

“Guided by the President’s vision, which he emphasized in his message yesterday, our troops will always be ready to provide a safer, more peaceful and progressive country,” it said in a statement.

—with reports from Marlon Ramos and Reuters g