MARIVELES, Bataan — Fishermen here on Friday said they were still reluctant to enter the disputed areas in the West Philippines Sea despite assurance from government that they are free to do so and instead do their fishing in portions of the WPS in Palawan.
Dalisay Cruz, president of the Sisiman Fishing Association, said their members feared trying to fish at Scarborough Shoal because they have heard that nothing has changed and the Chinese were still stopping Filipino fishermen.
Her organization is composed of 51 big fishing boats, each boat with not less than 14 crews.
Cruz, a barangay kagawad of Sisiman, welcomed the plan of President Duterte to consult the past presidents about the WPS row.
“Sa aking palagay sa tulong ng lahat, sana nga at idinadalangin ng lahat na magkaroon na ng katahimikan at maibalik na sa ating bansa na ayon naman sa batas ay ito talaga ay sa Pilipinas,” Cruz said.
She said their prayer is to be able to fish at the Scarborough Shoal because it is one of the remaining areas in the WPS with plenty of fish and serves as sanctuary for fishermen during bad weather conditions.
“Ito ang aming samo’t dalangin na sana sa buong West Philippine Sea na kami makapangisda na hindi sinasabi lang, ang gusto namin ma-aktualan. Ang gusto namin ipakita ng gobyerno na talagang hindi na itinataboy dahil ipinapakita sa telebisyon pati ang media nga ay ipinagtatabuyan. Papaano masasabi na kami ay puwede ng pumalaot doon?” Cruz said.
“’Yon nga sanang pinag-aagawan ng Pilipinas at China ay magkaroon na ng katuparan na maging atin na at sana maging malaya ang bansang Pilipinas sa pangangawil sa lugar. Sana hindi na maging hadlang ang mga Chinese sa lugar na tayo ang nanalo. Kaya ipagpatuloy ninyo Presidente na makuha natin ang para sa atin,” she appealed to Duterte.
She said they presently fish in Tubbataha and Commodore in Palawan and avoid going to the disputed areas.
She said that it takes a month for fishermen to fish in Palawan, and mostly at a loss. “Hindi kami makatawid-guton sa pamamalakaya dahil hindi namin malaman kung bakit ganoon kailap ang mga isda ngayon.”
Gilbert Dagon of fishing boat (FB) Bart said they fish in portions of the West Philippines Sea in Palawan where no one stop them although there are Chinese and Vietnamese fishermen in the area.
He said they only use kawil in fishing while the Vietnamese use very bright lights to attract fish and like the Chinese also use big fishing nets.
Dagon said he does not want yet to fish at the Scarborugh Shoal. “Ay! mahirap doon, baka mabaril lang kami ng watergun doon. Alanganin kami doon,” he said.
He recalled that years back, the fishing boat of one of their companions was bombarded with water cannon by Chinese Coast Guard boats.
Joel Pagaling of FB Princess Jessa said they presently fish in Lubang Island in Mindoro but have not yet tried Scarborough Shoal, their fishing boat being small.
“Ang ibang bangka dati nagpupunta doon pero ngayon ay wala na. Natatakot sa mga Chinese dahil binabawalan ang mga mangingisda,” he said.
