By Ruben A. Veloria
SUBIC, Zambales,Philippines – Fisherfolk from Zambales and Bataan expressed on Sunday deep alarm over allegations that Vice Pres. Sara Duterte and husband Manases Carpio, received millions of pesos from China-linked sources to remain silent in the face of Chinese harassment against Filipino fishers in the West Philippine Sea.
At a press conference organized here by ATIN ITO, the broad civil society coalition, said the allegations against the Vice President were deeply troubling, and the public deserves clear answers, particularly as Filipino fisherfolks continue facing dangerous encounters, and restrictions on their traditional fishing grounds.
ATIN ITO organized four civilian-led supply missions to the West Philippine Sea, leaders of the New Masinloc Fishermen Association (NMFA); the Subic Commercial Fishers Association; the San Miguel Pundaquit Fisherfolk Association; the Samahan ng Cabangaan-3 Fishermen’s Unity; and the Agri-Aqua Association.
“Madam VP Sara, kaya po ba tahimik kayo sa gitna ng karahasan at kalupitan na sinasapit namin sa West Philippine Sea sa kamay ng Tsina ay dahil nabayaran ng milyones ang inyong katahimikan?” said Leonardo “Ka Nards” Cuaresma, the NMFA president.
“Habang kami ay hina-harass, tinatakot, pinagnanakawan ng huling isda at itinataboy ng mga barko ng China sa sarili nating karagatan, ang Bise Presidente at ang kanyang asawa umano ay tumanggap ng milyon-milyon mula sa China. Hindi ba isa itong katrayduran na dapat ipaliwanag sa taong bayan? ” Cuaresma asked.
The fisherfolk leaders questioned whether the allegations could help explain the Vice President’s apparent silence on Chinese aggression in Philippine waters, stressing that the issue strikes at the heart of national sovereignty and the welfare of ordinary Filipinos.
Cuaresma urged Duterte and husband to explain the purpose of the reported China-linked multi-million-peso transactions, and to condemn Chinese harassment in the West Philippine Sea and affirm that the protection of Filipino fishers and national sovereignty must never take a back seat to private interests.
