By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora/Philippine News Agency
MANILA — The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is waiting for an official report from the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) on the collision of a Chinese vessel and a Filipino fishing boat in the South China Sea last Sunday, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr. said Wednesday night.
“Let us wait for the West Philippine (Sea) Task Force to give the sort of facts on the basis of which I fire off diplomatic protests,” he wrote on his official Twitter.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana earlier reported that a collision between the two vessels near Recto Bank on June 9 has resulted in the sinking of the Filipino fishing boat.
In a statement, Lorenzana denounced the actions of the Chinese fishing vessel “for immediately leaving the scene of the incident, abandoning the 22 Filipino crewmen to the mercy of the elements.”
The Filipino fishing boat GIMVER was anchored at the time when it was hit by the Chinese vessel. The Filipinos were later rescued by a Vietnamese ship within the vicinity.
The DND has already ordered a formal investigation on the incident.
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