‘Unidentified’ vessel hits PH boat; fisherman missing

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BY VICTOR REYES and RAYMOND AFRICA

A FILIPINO fisherman went missing after his fishing boat was hit by an “unidentified” vessel in the West Philippine Sea last week, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said yesterday.

PCG spokesman Rear Adm. Armand Balilo said the impact caused the fishing boat to sink.

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He said the incident occurred about 62 nautical miles southeast off Sampaloc Point

in Subic, Zambales, or about 100 nautical miles from Scarborough Shoal, also known as Bajo de Masinloc and Panatag Shoal. The shoal has been under Chinese control since 2012 and being is guarded by Chinese Coast Guard and maritime militia vessels.

Balilo said the area is a known route of cargo vessels.

Balilo issued the statement after Senate majority leader Francis Tolentino said he received information that a big vessel with Chinese characters on its body rammed a small Filipino fishing boat at the Bajo de Masinloc area at on July 7.

The information comes amid continued harassment by Chinese vessels of fishing boats in the WPS.

Balilo, on Tolentino’s statement about the vessel having Chinese markings, said, “We are still investigating.”

Balilo named the missing fisherman as Jose Mondoñedo, who he said remains subject of a search and rescue operation.

He said Mondoñedo and his brother, Robert, left Barangay Wawandaue in Subic, Zambales last July 1 on board Fbca John Robert, en route to their “payao” (fishing aggregate) off Sampaloc Point.

“Robert Mondoñedo narrated the unidentified vessel hit their fishing boat at around 3 p.m. on July 3, 2024,” the PCG said in a statement.

The PCG said Robert held on to the payao for three days until another fishing boat, Fbca Irish Mae, passed the area and rescued him at around 8 a.m. last Saturday.

Fbca Irish Mae arrived in Barangay Wawandaue on Saturday night, the PCG said.

“47-year-old Robert Mondoñedo survived the incident but his brother, Jose Mondoñedo, remains missing,” said Balilo.

Balilo said PCG commandant Adm. Ronnie Gil Gavan has ordered BRP Sindangan to conduct search and rescue operation for the missing fisherman.

He said the PCG has also issued a notice to mariners and coordinated with neighboring barangays and local fisherfolks for possible sighting of the missing fisherman.

Balilo said the Coast Guard Station Zambales is conducting investigation on the incident “for appropriate measures.”

Tolentino, in a press conference, said he got the information from a councilor of San Marcelino, Zambales who was contacted by the family of the fishermen who were on board the fishing boat.

Upon receipt of the information, Tolentino said, he informed PCG Gavan who in turn ordered the patrolling vessels to look for Mondoñedo.

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He also said the registry of the vessel with markings “Yang Fu” has yet to be established.

“Although Chinese characters ito, minsan yung flag of registry ay iba, minsan Marshall Islands, minsan Panama. Pero kailangan ngayon matunton kung nasaan yung nawawala nating mangingisda (Although they are Chinese markings, the flag of registry could sometimes be different. It could be from Marshall Islands, it could be from Panama. But what is important right now is to locate the missing fisherman),” he added.

MEDICAL EVACUATION

Two Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessels recently “intercepted” by Chinese ships near the Philippine-occupied Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea were conducting medical evacuation operation when subjected to the harassment.

In a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo yesterday, Navy spokesman for the West Philippine Sea spokesman Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad said the operation was successful despite the Chinese interference.

American maritime expert Ray Powell earlier said the PCG vessels, BRP Cabra and BRP Cape Engano, were intercepted on Sunday morning by a Chinese Coast Guard vessel and six Chinese maritime militia vessels.

Trinidad said one of the sailors assigned in Ayungin Shoal had a medical condition that “warranted evacuation.” He did not elaborate on the sailor’s medical condition.

“The bigger picture is that there was a person who needed to be evacuated. He was successfully evacuated and brought to Camp Ricarte Station Hospital (in Puerto Princesa City),” said Trinidad.

Trinidad did not provide details of the Chinese harassment, saying these should come from the PCG.

“We would like to thank the Coast Guard for being part of the effort to ensure the safety of our (sailor) deployed on BRP Sierra Madre. (The) details of that we could get from the Philippine Coast Guard,” said Trinidad.

Filipino troops occupying Ayungin Shoal are billeted at BRP Sierra Madre, a rusting Navy ship that was grounded at the shoal in 1999 to serve as military outpost.

“We remain committed to ensure that our deployed personnel are safe and their welfare is looked after,” said Trinidad.

Last May 19, Chinese boats blocked Philippine Navy boats evacuating a sick Navy sailor also at the vicinity of Ayungin Shoal. The mission was also successful despite the incident.

POLLUTION

Chinese state-owned Global Times on Monday quoted a Chinese expert as saying that BRP Sierra Madre has caused damage to coral reefs and environmental pollution in the area.

“The expert called for immediate action to mitigate the ongoing damage caused by the illegally grounded warship and demanded compensation from the Philippines for polluting Chinese territory,” it said.

Asked to comment on the report, Trinidad said reiterated a recent appeal of AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr to the public to be “very careful about foreign malign influence, about the wrong narratives being given out” by China.

“This is one such false narrative. The AFP will remain committed to ensuring our sovereignty and sovereign rights remain intact in the West Philippine through the conduct of RoRe (rotation and reprovisioning) missions for BRP Sierra Madre,” he said.

National Security Council Assistant Director General and spokesman Jonathan Malaya described the report as “false and a classic misdirection.”

Malaya said it is China that has caused “irreparable damage to corals” in the West Philippine Sea.

“It is China that has caused untold damage to the maritime environment, and jeopardized the natural habitat and the livelihood of thousands of Filipino fisherfolk,” said Malaya.

He urged the public and the international community to be “wary and conscious” of Chinese media and Chinese experts who are spreading “fake news.”

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