The bodies of the three victims are brought to shore on Tuesday in Infanta, Pangasinan. (PCG photo)
MANILA, Philippines — The ramming of Filipino fishermen’s boat off the coast of Pangasinan appears to be accidental, according to Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela on Thursday.
Three fishermen died as a result of the tragedy in the waters off Agno, Pangasinan.
“As far as the initial information that we have right now, we can say na hindi naman ito talaga deliberate,” said Tarriela in the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon public briefing.
(As far as the initial information that we have right now, we can say that it was not deliberate.)
“Ito ay isang aksidente. Walang kinalaman sa Tsina,” he announced.
(This was an accident. It has nothing to do with China.)
“Hindi ito nangyari sa Bajo de Masinloc. Hindi ito yung naglalabasang spekulasyon kahapon na baka Chinese Maritime Militia o Chinese Coast guard ang deliberately nag-ram,” he clarified.
(It did not happen in Bajo de Masinloc. This is not the speculation yesterday that it might have been Chinese Maritime Militia or Chinese Coast Guard that deliberately rammed the boat.)
The conclusion was derived from the testimonies of the surviving fishermen.
“Sila na mismo nagsasabi na in this particular time na nangyari, masyadong madilim ang area. Panget ang panahon, so there is a possibility na hindi nga sila napansin,” he explained.
(They themselves said during the particular time that it happened, it was too dark. The weather was bad, so there is a possibility that they were not noticed.)
PCG has reached out to the port of the foreign vessel, which was bearing a Marshall Islands flag.
“We have already coordinated with them, for them to be subject to much more thorough investigation, and to confirm if this boat passed through this area that the fisherfolks say,” Tarriela said in a mix of English and Filipino.
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