The Armed Forces of the Philippines will support and coordinate efforts with the Philippine Coast Guard to ensure the safety of fishermen returning to the Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, AFP spokesman Col. Arnulfo Burgos Jr. said yesterday.
In coordination with concerned agencies of the government, we will continue to relentlessly pursue all means necessary to ensure that our citizens are well-protected at all times and that they are able to exercise their freedom to include maritime rights within our sovereign territory, Burgos said.
The safety and security of our citizens will always be of paramount concern in all our undertakings, he added.
The fishing ban imposed by the Philippine government in the shoal will be lifted on July 15.
Malacañang, however, has yet to decide whether to send back government ships to the shoal.
When asked if the lifting of the fishing ban would lead to the redeployment of government ships, Burgos said the Coast Guard, not the military, is directly involved in the issue.
A security official said the lifting of the fishing ban in Panatag could pave way for the return of Philippine government vessels to the disputed area.
The official, who requested anonymity, said allowing the fishermen to conduct fishing activities in the area would entail the presence of security forces to ensure their safety.
The responsibility of authorities in the area is not just to apprehend illegal activities but also to ensure the safety of fishermen, the official told The STAR.
If fishermen are allowed to return (to the shoal), there ought to be personnel or vessels that would oversee them, the official added.
The Philippine government earlier declared a fishing ban in Panatag Shoal last May to replenish the fish stock in the area.
China also declared a fishing ban even if the shoal is part of Philippine territory, as provided by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
However, China seems to have violated its own fishing ban due to the continuous presence of Chinese fishing boats inside the shoal’s lagoon.
2011. Philstar