Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 22) — The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday said it will help decide on the amount of monetary compensation for Filipino fishermen whose boat was sunk by a Chinese vessel last year.
The 22 crewmen aboard the Philippine fishing boat Gem-Ver have not been recompensed by the owner of the Chinese vessel which rammed their boat on the night of June 9, 2019, leaving them struggling to stay afloat in the cold sea for hours.
Instead of coming to their aid, the Filipino fishermen said the Chinese crew simply turned off their vessel’s lights and abandoned them in the open sea. They were only brought to safety by the crew of a Vietnamese fishing boat.
The incident happened in the vicinity of the Reed Bank, also called Recto Bank, an underwater feature in the West Philippine Sea being claimed by China.
According to Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., both Manila and Beijing have arrived at the same conclusion that the Chinese vessel was at fault.
“Now, the question is the compensation. The compensation is going to be determined by our Department of Justice,” Locsin said in an interview with ANC on Monday.
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra later said he wasn’t aware of his department’s responsibility in setting the amount but would be “very happy to help” the Department of Foreign Affairs.
“I don’t remember that the DOJ was tasked before to determine the amount of compensatory or other civil damages,” Guevarra said. “But since Secretary Locsin mentioned it, we’ll be very happy to help.”
“Through Usec. Adrian Sugay, I have already given instructions to the provincial prosecutor’s office nearest the place of residence of the fishermen concerned to gather the necessary information,” he added.
Locsin said he has “tremendous confidence” in the Justice secretary, saying he’s certain Guevarra will determine the amount of compensatory damages “very soon.”
The Foreign Affairs Secretary also pointed out that the Chinese government was not at fault, as it was a private Chinese vessel that committed the damage. The owner of the Chinese vessel had issued an apology nearly three months after the marine incident, but called the hitting and sinking of the fishing boat an “accidental collision.”
