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http://gbtimes.com/news/china-asks-philippine-government-fairness-treatment-fishermen
China asks Philippine government for fairness in treatment of fishermen
12 Chinese fishermen have been charged with poaching by the government of the Philippines.
The charges came after the men’s boat foundered on a protected coral reef. If convicted, the men could serve as much as 12 years behind bars and be forced to pay a fine of $300,000 US, according to an official from the Tubbataha reef park, a Unesco World Heritage site. A United States vessel also crashed into the same reef in January and is also currently facing fines.
The Chinese fishing boat ran aground in the Sulu Sea, where the reef is located, on Monday. According to Philippine officials, the fishermen told them “they reached the reef by accident from Malaysia.” Chinese officials have been allowed to visit with the men who are currently being held in Palawan province.
Alen Ross Rodriguez, a local official in Palawan has said, "We will seek to quickly prosecute and resolve this case… No-one can just enter our waters and willfully destroy our marine life." For their part, “the Chinese government is calling on the Philippines to guarantee the safety and rights of the Chinese fishermen,” according to CRI.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei has issued a statement which reads: "The Chinese government has always attached great importance to safety of fishermen fishing overseas, at the same time has instructed and administered their fishing activities overseas. After learning that the Philippines detained and charged the Chinese fishermen, the Foreign Ministry immediately asked the Chinese embassy in the Philippines to send requests to the Philippine side to effectively ensure legal rights and safety of the Chinese fishermen."
In addition to the charges being brought against the fishermen stemming from the primary act of running aground on the reef, the fishermen also stand accused of trying to bribe the wildlife park rangers who took them into custody.
China asks Philippine government for fairness in treatment of fishermen
12 Chinese fishermen have been charged with poaching by the government of the Philippines.
The charges came after the men’s boat foundered on a protected coral reef. If convicted, the men could serve as much as 12 years behind bars and be forced to pay a fine of $300,000 US, according to an official from the Tubbataha reef park, a Unesco World Heritage site. A United States vessel also crashed into the same reef in January and is also currently facing fines.
The Chinese fishing boat ran aground in the Sulu Sea, where the reef is located, on Monday. According to Philippine officials, the fishermen told them “they reached the reef by accident from Malaysia.” Chinese officials have been allowed to visit with the men who are currently being held in Palawan province.
Alen Ross Rodriguez, a local official in Palawan has said, "We will seek to quickly prosecute and resolve this case… No-one can just enter our waters and willfully destroy our marine life." For their part, “the Chinese government is calling on the Philippines to guarantee the safety and rights of the Chinese fishermen,” according to CRI.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei has issued a statement which reads: "The Chinese government has always attached great importance to safety of fishermen fishing overseas, at the same time has instructed and administered their fishing activities overseas. After learning that the Philippines detained and charged the Chinese fishermen, the Foreign Ministry immediately asked the Chinese embassy in the Philippines to send requests to the Philippine side to effectively ensure legal rights and safety of the Chinese fishermen."
In addition to the charges being brought against the fishermen stemming from the primary act of running aground on the reef, the fishermen also stand accused of trying to bribe the wildlife park rangers who took them into custody.