MANILA – Saying that he was still traumatized to travel, the captain of the fishing boat reportedly rammed by a Chinese vessel at Reed Bank last week shunned a meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte.
Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) regional director Elizer Salilig on Monday said Jonel Insigne was too “traumatized” by the incident.
Insigne was supposed to travel to Metro Manila from Occidental Mindoro on Sunday to meet with Duterte.
Had the meeting with the President pushed through, Insigne should have requested three things from Duterte – to provide assistance to repair the rammed boat, to ban Chinese fishermen at Reed Bank, and to hold the Chinese crew liable for the incident.
Meanwhile, Department of Agriculture secretary Emmanuel Piñol said his supposed meeting with the boat’s cook Richard Blaza and Salilig last Sunday was also cancelled.
Insigne said the collision was intentional which led to the sinking of the Filipino vessel where 22 Filipino fishermen was left helpless at sea.
The Chinese Embassy admitted it was the Chinese vessel that hit the Philippine boat, but claimed Yuemaobinyu 42212 was “berthed” at the area when it was allegedly “besieged” by the Filipino crew.
Duterte has yet to make a direct public statement about the incident./PN
