MANILA – The Philippines is yet to file another diplomatic protest against China over the reported harvesting of giant clams by Chinese fishermen in Scarborough Shoal.
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) secretary Teodoro Locsin said the country is studying legal actions it can take after the national task force verified the Chinese manifestation.
“We took the report of the national task force in the West Philippine Sea,” Locsin said in an interview with CNN Philippines’ The Source on Tuesday.
“We protest to this, this is illegal and in fact you’re also violating the conventions on environmental protection for which we can take legal action,” he added.
In a report by ABS-CBN News on Monday, Filipino fishermen were quoted saying they have been catching less fish due to the harvesting of giant clams, which they claim has been happening for years.
Locsin expressed frustration at the reports of China pouring in resources to revive corals in the area.
“They have basically destroyed breeding grounds. This makes me angry and suspicious when people say [China] really has resources pouring in the areas of Scarborough to revive the corals. And? [Scarborough is] still ours,” Locsin said.
He stressed it doesn’t erase the fact that China “wouldn’t have to revive it if [they] hadn’t killed it in the first place.”/PN
