Meddling in the affairs of a foreign oil tanker, which was harassed by a Chinese warship near Scarborough Shoal might endanger the safety of thousands of Filipino seafarers abroad.
Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. pointed out that the oil tanker is a “Greek vessel of Greek ownership, flying a Liberian flag of convenience, which just happens to have a skipper of Philippine nationality.”
“We stick our noses in and 400,000 Filipino mariners get embroiled in a maritime issue, about which our only interest is the safety of the parts of the crew who just happen to be Filipino and were not harmed,” Locsin said.
He went on: “Want the employment [of] 400,000 Pinoy mariners to hang in the balance of the games an idiot native media likes to play?” —Julie M. Aurelio