PCO File

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has expressed his willingness to file charges against Chinese fishermen if sufficient legal grounds are identified in connection with their alleged use of cyanide to damage Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal.

During a press briefing at the 16th Ani ng Dangal 2024 on Tuesday in Manila City, President Marcos stated, “If we feel that there is enough ground to do so, we will.” This response came when reporters questioned him about his intentions regarding legal action against the Chinese fishermen involved in the reported cyanide fishing.

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) released a statement over the weekend, revealing that they had received reports of Chinese fishermen employing cyanide to "intentionally destroy Bajo de Masinloc to prevent Filipino fishing boats from operating in the area."

President Marcos acknowledged being aware of the alleged cyanide fishing based on BFAR reports but emphasized the heightened concern surrounding the incident in Bajo de Masinloc. He noted, "I do know that there are cases of cyanide fishing before even here in the Philippines, but I think the reason that it has been more alarming is that it has become more prevalent kaya ‘yun ang inaalala natin."

As the situation unfolds, the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) has instructed the BFAR to collect pieces of evidence to substantiate their claims regarding the alleged cyanide fishing by Chinese fishermen in Bajo de Masinloc. The NTF-WPS is closely monitoring the developments and is committed to taking appropriate actions to safeguard the nation's maritime interests.