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Jeoffrey Maitem

More than a week after a Philippine fishing boat was allegedly sunk by a Chinese vessel in the disputed South China Sea, the Philippines’ president, Rodrigo Duterte, has broken his silence on the matter, downplaying the incident as “just a collision”.
The June 9 event, which led to 22 Filipino crew members of the FB Gimver 1 being stranded at sea, was condemned and described as a “hit-and-run” by some Filipino officials.
Warning against worsening the situation, Duterte said on Monday: “What happened there was a collision. That was a maritime incident. Don’t believe stupid politicians. They want the Navy to go there.
“It’s just a collision, do not make it worse,” he said, reiterating the country was not ready to go to war against China.

The president said he would await the results of an investigation.
“It is best investigated … The only thing we can do is to wait and give the other party the right to be heard,” he said.
“With all the anger and one national official even urging sending warships … If I were to choose, I would want action, but I am not in my boyhood any more.”
The normally brash leader’s comments came amid reports the Chinese ambassador to the Philippines, Zhao Jianhua, would be summoned to the Malacanang Palace to explain the incident. The comments followed a statement by the Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lu Kang in which Lu described the incident as “only an accidental collision between fishing boats at sea”. Lu had vowed China would continue to investigate the matter, adding it was “irresponsible and counter-constructive to link this incident with China-Philippines friendship or even make political interpretations out of it”.
Philippines lodges protest with Beijing over South China Sea ‘hit and run’
Political scientist Ramon Beleno III, of Ateneo De Davao University, described Duterte’s response as a calibrated one.
“It’s about time cooler heads prevailed. I think the president treasures the friendship with China,” Beleno said, noting that “as of now, we are not getting assistance from other allies like the United States”.
Duterte’s decision not to agitate China means the Philippines could “get justice” on the matter if Beijing agreed to take part in the investigation, Beleno added.

The incident was the latest confrontation involving China’s vast fishing fleet, which experts say has been co-opted to serve as Beijing’s militia and augment its constant coastguard presence in contested South China Sea waters also claimed by Malaysia, Taipei, Vietnam, the Philippines and Brunei.
The incident occurred in Recto Bank, about 150km (93 miles) off the Philippine island of Palawan, within the country’s exclusive economic zone.
Philippine fishermen protest Chinese harvesting of giant clams in South China Sea
After the incident, Philippine Vice-President Leni Robredo called for the Department of Foreign Affairs to demand that Beijing ensured those behind the sinking would be prosecuted.
“We strongly urge the Department of Foreign Affairs to demand from the Chinese government to find those responsible and recognise Philippine jurisdiction, so they can face trial before our courts,” Robredo said.
“Justice for the 22 Filipino fishermen requires that our courts assume jurisdiction.”
﻿Watch: The South China Sea dispute explained




The Chinese embassy in Manila said a Chinese vessel was involved in the incident, but claimed it was “besieged by seven or eight Filipino fishing boats”, preventing it from rescuing the stranded Filipino fishermen.
The statement was slammed by opposition senator Risa Hontiveros, who urged Duterte to downgrade ties by recalling diplomats stationed in Beijing.
“The Chinese government’s response to the West Philippine Sea hit-and-run incident, through its embassy here in Manila, is preposterous,” she said.
‘I love China but is it right for a country to claim whole ocean?’: Duterte
“It is a flimsy attempt at a cover-up to shield the involved Chinese crew from any accountability and shift the blame and responsibility to our distressed fisherfolk.”
The account was also disputed by the Filipino fishermen, who said the Chinese boat deliberately hit them, causing them to spend hours in the water awaiting help.
The crew were eventually picked up by a Vietnamese boat and brought home on Friday aboard a Philippine Navy vessel.


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The Philippines

Philippine fishing boat’s sinking in South China Sea was ‘just a collision’, Duterte says

The damaged Philippine fishing boat FB Gimver 1. Photo: AP

Rescued Filipino fishermen transfer to another ship as they head back to shore in Occidental Mindoro province, Philippines on Friday June 14, 2019. The Philippines' top diplomat said he has filed a diplomatic protest after an anchored fishing boat was hit by a suspected Chinese vessel which then abandoned the 22 Filipino fishermen as the boat sank in the disputed South China Sea. (AP Photo)

In this undated June 2019 handout photo provided by Arlinda dela Torre via the Department of Agriculture, the damaged Filipino fishing boat F/B Gimver 1 sits on the shore at San Jose, Occidental Mindoro province, Philippines. China recently acknowledged its fishing vessel hit a Filipino boat in the disputed South China Sea in an incident that prompted an outcry in the Philippines but denies the collision was intentional. The Philippines has filed a diplomatic protest after Filipino fishermen said a Chinese vessel rammed their anchored boat on Sunday night then abandoned them as the boat sank in the Reed Bank. (Department of Agriculture via AP)

Philippines lodges diplomatic protest with Beijing over South China Sea ‘hit and run’ that sunk fishing vessel

Activists burn a mock Chinese flag with a map of the South China Sea during a protest in front of the Chinese consulate in Manila. Photo: AFP

FILE - In this April 25, 2019, file photo, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, left, shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, before their meeting at the Great Hall of People in Beijing. Duterte raised his nation's concerns over territorial disputes in the South China Sea at a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing that followed the signing of multi-billion dollar trade agreements. (Kenzaburo Fukuhara/Pool Photo via AP)

epa07619369 Philippines Secretary of National Defence Delfin Lorenzana looks on during the fifth plenary session of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) 18th Asia Security Summit in Singapore, 02 June 2019. The IISS Asia Security Summit is an annual gathering of defense officials in the Asia-Pacific region and is dubbed the Shangri-La Dialogue in honor of the hotel where the event is held. The summit will be held from 31 May to 02 June 2019. EPA-EFE/WALLACE WOON

China-Philippines war over South China Sea? Duterte is fear mongering, says Hague tribunal point man Florin Hilbay

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, right, holds an Israeli-made Galil rifle presented to him by former police chief Ronald Dela Rosa. Photo: AP

Stock image to illustrate online gambling

Pilo Hilbay, formerly the country’s Solicitor General, posed for pictures in Manila, capital of the Philippines. He represented the Philippines when the country took China to the international tribunal at The Hague over conflicting soverignty claims at the South China Sea. The Philippines won in 2016 but the administration has failed to press China to respect the court’s decision, he said. 30MAY19 SCMP / Phila Siu

FILE - In this file photo from March 22, 2016, Philippine President Benigno Aquino III delivers a speech south of Manila, Philippines, on Tuesday, March 22, 2016. Aquino has called this week's election a referendum on his "straight path" style of reformist governance, but his candidate Sen. Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has lost by millions of votes to a shoot-from-the-lip mayor. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila, File)

Rodrigo Duterte, right, holds an Israeli-made Galil rifle presented to him by former police chief Ronald Dela Rosa. Photo: AP

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Philippine president warns parties against making matters worse amid anger over the incident
He says he awaits the results of an investigation



A week after the boat was allegedly sunk by a Chinese vessel, the Philippine president has sought to play down the incident, warning officials not to make the situation worse.


South China Sea

Rodrigo Duterte

Defence

China-Philippines relations

Philippine fishing boat’s sinking in South China Sea was ‘just a collision’, Duterte says

Philippine president warns parties against making matters worse amid anger over the incident He says he awaits the results of an investigation

Philippine president warns parties against making matters worse amid anger over the incident

He says he awaits the results of an investigation