PCG awaits accounts of rescued fishermen

While it has been reported that the still unidentified Chinese vessel hit, sank, and abandoned a local fishing boat carrying 22 fishermen off Recto Bank in Palawan, the Philippine Coast Guard wants to further verify if it was really a Chinese vessel.

Since Wednesday night, the Coast Guard has been trying to locate the vessel culprit but to no avail as little information about the incident was reported.

According to Captain Armand Balilo, Coast Guard spokesman, they have been checking vessels that passed through the seas in Recto Bank on June 9 when the incident happened.

“Chine-check namin lahat ng mga barkong dumadaan doon sa time na binigay habang hinihintay namin na makabalik ‘yung mga fishermen para makausap namin kung paano nila nasabi na Chinese vessel,” Balilo said.

The 22 fishermen were onboard fishing boat Gimver 1, which was anchored in Recto Bank, when a Chinese vessel allegedly hit the boat and abandoned it as it sank, leaving fishermen and their tons of catch behind.

Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Penetrante, Armed Forces of the Philippines Western Command spokesman, said that after the collision, the Chinese vessel immediately veered away and intentionally turned off the lights of the vessel so as not to be identified.

He said the Filipino fishermen, who were rescued by a Vietnamese vessel, had no chance to identify the bow number of the Chinese vessel.

This was also confirmed by Balilo, saying that their informant, a boat operator, could not identify the Chinese vessel involved.

“Kaya we are still investigating kung ano ‘yung talagang nangyari at saka kung sino, kasi tinatanong ko kung nakita ‘yung bow number, hindi naman,” Balilo said.