“THIS IS OURS”
“We are very grateful for this assistance,” said Johnny Arpon, 53, whose 10m boat Janica arrived at the shoal in time to stock up on extra diesel.
Some of the Filipino fishermen crowding around the BRP Bankaw in small outriggers to receive provisions climbed aboard to eat snacks and drink fresh water.
They told journalists they had been chased and water cannoned by Chinese vessels in the past and even had their anchors cut.
“They should give it back to us because this is ours,” said Nonoy de los Reyes, 40, referring to Scarborough Shoal.
“They should leave this place.”
After decades of overfishing by countries surrounding the waters, the men have to spend longer at sea to catch enough fish to cover their costs and, hopefully, make a small profit.
China’s blocking of the shoal had made the situation even tougher and the fishermen said they hated them for it.
“We barely have any catch so we’ll probably need to stay two more weeks,” said Alex del Campo, 41, who had already spent more than a week at sea.
A day earlier, del Campo and two other fishermen had made a daring bid to enter the shoal in their small boats, but were chased away by Chinese coast guard personnel in rigid-hulled inflatable vessels.
“We are defenceless because they are armed and there was just one fisherman in each of our three boats,” del Campo said. “If they ram and sink our boats who will save us?”
Source: CNA
