Recto Bank fishermen may claim damages

The official was reacting to reports of complaints from the fishermen that they have yet to receive aid from the owner of the Chinese vessel that hit and sank their fishing boat last 9 June.

Malacañang yesterday maintained that proper compensation must be given to the 22 Filipino fishermen involved in the Recto Bank incident, but for this to happen, they must first have to go through the process of filing a claim before the Chinese insurance company handling the matter.

“Didn’t the Chinese government say that we should file an insurance claim? That’s why they should file. They won’t be receiving anything just like that,” presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo told Palace reporters.

The official was reacting to reports of complaints from the fishermen that they have yet to receive aid from the owner of the Chinese vessel that hit and sank their fishing boat last 9 June.

Panelo insisted that although the fishermen have received assistance from government and private entities, they should still formally file an insurance claim.

“The fishermen should be the one pursuing that because they are the ones who are victims of that. They can go to their mayor, for instance, and ask help. Then the mayor will bring them to the proper entity,” Panelo said.

Last August, Malacañang “welcomed the humility” shown by the owner of the Chinese vessel following the Department of Foreign Affairs’ receipt of a letter from the fisheries bureau of Chinese Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Affairs, the agency designated by the Chinese government to handle the Recto Bank incident.

In the said correspondence, Guangdong Fishery Mutual Insurance Association president Chen Shiqin confirmed the vessel that collided into Gemver-1 last 9 June “is registered in Guangdong and its owner is a member of our Association.”

Shiqin also mentioned that while their group acknowledged “the accident was an unintentional mistake of the Chinese fishermen, the Chinese fishing boat should however take the major responsibility” for what happened and urged the 22 Filipino fishermen involved “to file a specific appeal for civil compensation based on the actual loss.”