PAG-ASA ISLAND, Philippines – Harassment still prevails in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) as the Chinese Coast Guard continues to intimidate fisherfolk on Pag-asa Island, contradicting earlier claims of authorities that fishers are free to fish in the contested area.
In interviews with The STAR, residents on this island said fisherfolk decided not to go where Chinese militia and coast guard are deployed to avoid being harassed, rather than claim that intimidation from Chinese vessels was a thing of the past.
Larry Hugo, who in 2021 posted on Facebook that the Chinese Coast Guard tried to ram his boat, recalled how furious he was at the time.
“I nearly died because of that incident. I did not expect it to trend on social media as I only shared the video to my friends,” he said.
Hugo noted that despite his sudden fame, the same problem faces fisherfolk in Pag-Asa Island.
“The Philippine Navy instructed us to stop going to areas where there are Chinese ships. As a result, we are forced to just fish near Pag-asa Island,” he said, explaining why their fish catch suffered.
He said from one fish tub, the catch decreased “because of the presence of foreign nationals who are even using îllégâl fishing (methods) like cyanide.”
Filipino fisherfolk there have no choice but to make do with their limited catch of only half a tub, he said, as they do not go fishing every day.?
When asked what his message was to the government, Hugo said: “We cannot fish in areas we used to visit, it’s too dangerous as the Chinese are there. We cannot confront them as they are a super power.”
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