TOL condemns ramming of fishing boat in the Spratlys, West Philippine Sea; says culprit must be tracked down

Reelectionist Senator Francis 'TOL' Tolentino today condemned the ramming of a Philippine fishing boat in the vicinity of the Spratly Islands in the West Philippine Sea.

At the same time, Tolentino backed the efforts of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to identify and track down the vessel responsible for the incident.

"I am thankful that five of the eight fishermen from the damaged boat survived after 17 days at sea. Based on news reports, they are my province mates from Naic, Cavite," said Tolentino, who chairs the Senate Special Committee on Maritime and Admiralty Zones.

"But three of their companions are still missing. I hope our authorities can find them. I also support the efforts of the PCG to track down the culprit, and for the government to take appropriate actions," he added.

Tolentino noted that similar incidents have occured in the past, including the hit-and-run of a fishing boat by a foreign vessel in Subic, Zambales in July last year. One of the victims from the said incident has yet to be retrieved.

He also cited the ramming of a fishing vessel by a foreign oil tanker off Panatag Shoal in October, 2023, killing three fishermen.

"I pushed for the passage of the Archipelagic Sea Lanes Law precisely to prevent such incidents. The law designates sea lanes, which would serve like 'expressways' for foreign vessels passing through our archipelagic waters, thereby ensuring the safety of our fishermen out at sea," he pointed out, referring to Republic Act 12065.

It should also be recalled that last February 9, Tolentino turned over fiberglass reinforced boats to fishermen's associations in Naic, Tanza, Rosario, and Cavite City in the province of Cavite. The boats are equipped with transponders, which will transmit data on the boat's location while the fishermen are out at sea to further ensure their safety.

On a related issue, Tolentino welcomed the signing by President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. of Republic Act 12122, the law fixing the PCG commandant's term to three years.

The senator said the new law will allow the PCG leadership to plan and execute long term programs for the country's maritime security and safety.

Tolentino is running under the banner of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas and Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas led by President Marcos Jr.