MANILA, Philippines – Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana maintained that the incident in Recto Bank involving the Chinese vessel, Yuemaobinyu 42212 and the Filipino fishing vessel, F/B GEM-VER 1 on June 9 was not an armed attack but only an accident.

“I think it’s just an accident based on the information we got from some of the crew. Siguro hindi rin sinasadya ng kabila (Perhaps it was not intentional),” Lorenzana said.

Since it was such, Lorenzana said he agrees with Malacañang that the Philippines cannot insist its mutual defense treaty with the United States to deal with the present issue because such treaty applies only to armed conflicts.

Lorenzana was the first to disclose the report on a Chinese vessel hitting and sinking a Filipino fishing vessel in the contested area in the West Philippine Sea.

The Defense Chief condemned the Chinese crewmen for abandoning the 22 Filipino fishermen adrift at sea while struggling to survive.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), through Secretary Teddy Locsin, has already elevated the matter to the International Maritime Office (IMO).

But though Lorenzana supported Locsin for that matter, the Defense Secretary said the Philippine government can only act once all the needed information is gathered specifically China’s official statement on the incident.

For now, the government is pursuing a case against the Chinese crewmen for abandoning the Filipino fishermen which, the Secretary said, is a violation of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to which the Philippines and China are both signatories.

While waiting for China’s side on the matter, Secretary Lorenzana appeals to the public to be patient as the government works on resolving the issue while extending assistance to the affected fishermen.

“I ask our countrymen to be patient dahil lalabas naman talaga ang totoo kapag nakuha na natin ang lahat ng (the truth will come out once we have all) information so that we can move on from this,” he said. (with details from April Cenedoza)

The Surigao del Norte Provincial Police Office recovered 40 blocks of suspected cocaine on the shores of Burgos, Surigao del Norte on Sunday (April 7).

Authorities said these blocks were wrapped in fishing nets when they were found by two fishermen floating off shore.

After recovering the blocks, the police inspected them and found that they have similar markings with the illegal drugs found in Barangay Pacifico, San Isidro, and the illegal drugs also found in Surigao del Norte on February 17.

The recovered cocaine blocks are currently in custody of the PNP Burgos.—Aileen Cerrudo (with reports from Raymond Octobre)

MANILA, Philippines —  “Sorry sa pagkakamali ng tropa (Sorry the troop’s mistake).”

This was the statement released by Rino “Ka Oto” Colaste, spokesperson of Guerilla Front 16 of the New People’s Army for the attack last week in Barangay Lahi, Gigaquit, Surigao Del Norte that killed one and injured two others.

The incident last Wednesday, April 18, killed Jepti Acido, a pastor of Jehovah’s Witnesses while two of his companions were wounded.

“Ka Oto” said they are conducting their own investigation on the incident to find out why their men attacked civilians instead of the military in the area.

The Guerrilla Front 16 vowed to shoulder the needs of the victims’ families but the Armed Forces of the Philippines said no amount of money can pay the loss and damages the group has caused.

“Hindi mababayaran ng pera. Hindi mababayaran ng kahit anong bagay ang buhay ng isang tao. Iyon ang ikinalulungkot namin,” said Capt. Al Anthony Pueblas, Spokesperson of 402nd Infantry Brigade, PA.

(Money cannot redeem what happened. Nothing can equal the value of a human life. It’s what saddens us.)

Meanwhile, Gigaquit Mayor Elvira Egay condemned the attack.

“The attack on non-combatants was uncalled for and a clear violation of human rights,” said Mayor Egay in a statement.

The AFP is now preparing for the charges to be filed against the rebels.

“Meron na tayong coordination sa kapulisan. At the same time para serve po natin sa family noong victim ang justice na hinihingi nila, of course, iyon ding pagpasa ng kaso doon sa mga NPA na may gawa nito,” Capt. Pueblas said.

(We are coordinating with the police. At the same time we are filing charges against the NPA rebels behind the incident so that the victim’s family can have the justice they’ve been clamoring for.) — Raymond Octobre | UNTV News & Rescue