Palawan Bishops Socrates Mesiona and Broderick Pabillo and 4 other bishops from dioceses in Luzon, issued a joint pastoral exhortation urging the Philippine government to exhaust all means to protect these vulnerable communities from the persistent harassment by China in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
Mesiona and Pabillo, apostolic vicars of Puerto Princesa and Taytay respectively, signed the petition with Lingayen-Dagupan Auxiliary Bishop Fidelis Layog and Archbishop Socrates Villegas, Bishop Bartolome Santos Jr. of Iba and Bishop Daniel Presto of San Fernando on behalf of the local communities.
Highlighting the aggressive incursions by China into Philippine maritime zones, resulting in the widespread destruction of coral reefs, marine sanctuaries, and fish habitats, the bishops emphasized the devastating impact on the lives of fisherfolk. They pointed out that before the forcible occupation of maritime zones, fishermen could harvest the sea’s riches closer to home, ensuring their needs and those of their families were met.
“The Church stands with them, and as a shepherd from various ecclesiastical jurisdictions with fisherfolk within our pastoral care, we stand with them, and we bishops give voice to their fears and anxieties, their woes and their concerns,” they said.
The bishops strongly criticized what they termed a “policy of appeasing the Chinese aggressors,” asserting that it not only worsens the situation but also emboldens China to make baseless claims. Drawing on the words of Desmond Tutu, they emphasized that neutrality in the face of aggression is not a stance appreciated by the oppressed.
According to the bishops, this policy has emboldened China to displace Filipino fisherfolk from their traditional fishing grounds.
“We seek peace, and it cannot be a moral option to wage war. But neither is it just for the leaders of our country to allow our own fisherfolk to be driven out of fishing grounds over which international law recognizes our rights,” they said.
We gratefully acknowledge statements of resoluteness about defending the resources God, in his munificence, has made available to us through the sea, but words are NOT enough,” they added.
The bishops ultimately called for concrete actions to ensure the safety and well-being of the fisherfolk, underscoring the importance of upholding the rights acknowledged by international law.
“All legal means must be exhausted so that what nature has so bountifully bestowed on us may be ours and may feed generations of Filipinos yet to be born and if present diplomatic endeavors do not suffice, then it is permissible morally necessary even to have recourse to the friendship of allies who can help us defend what is ours!” they stressed.
The bishops’ joint pastoral exhortation follows a recent incident reported by the Philippine Coast Guard, where Filipino fisherfolk collecting sea shells near Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal were intimidated and driven away by the Chinese Coast Guard on January 12.
