Killing of Zambales fishers condemned
SENATORS condemned the killing of three fishermen from the town of Subic in Zambales while another was injured when their fishing boat was rammed by a still-unidentified vessel off Cato in Infanta, Pangasinan on Monday.
Senators challenged the Philippine Coast Guard and other proper government authorities to dig deeper intot he issue.
“Nalulungkot po tayo sa nangyari at nagpapaabot ng pakikiramay sa mga naulila. Dapat pong managot ang may mga kasalanan sa ilalim ng umiiral na batas. The need to protect our fisherfolks and our marine resources cannot be overemphasized through the passage of our own Maritime Zone Law and the procurement of the necessary equipment for our Coast Guard as well. We await the results of the investigation being done,” Senator Francis Tolentino said.
Senator Risa Hontiveros said this move should not be tolerated nor ignored by the government considering that this kind of act resulted to the death of Filipino fishernmen.
“I condemn in the strongest possible terms the ramming of ship Pacific Anna, registered in the Marshall Islands, into a Filipino fishing boat, killing three of our citizens. It is deplorable that the vessel left the Filipino fishing boat and our citizens in the water. This despicable act is an affront to all Filipinos.
She also urged the need to increase additional funding for the PCG in order to help them patrol the areas consistently to protect our fishermen who only survived through fishing as a means of livelihood .
Senator Grace Poe for her part deplored the said action and urged the need to find out who is behind this crime.
“We condemn in the strongest terms the death of three Filipino fishermen after their boat was rammed by a foreign vessel.Those found responsible must be meted the appropriate punishment. No one should escape the long arm of the law. We call on our maritime authorities to increase their presence in our waters and strictly monitor local vessels sailing to fish to ensure their safety.Nararapat ang dagdag na proteksyon lalo na sa maliliit nating mangingisda na naglalayag sa kabila ng panganib para lang mabuhay.” Poe insisted.
Senator Jose Jinggoy Estrada said the authorities must conduct a comprehensive and unbiased investigation to ascertain the true circumstances surrounding this tragic event.
According to Estrada the safety and well-being of our fishermen must always be a top priority, and those accountable for this incident must be held responsible for their actions.
