MANILA - Fisherman Ramoncito Dumas took a cellphone video of a Chinese vessel chasing off Filipino fishermen in Scarborough Shoal.
Watch video here
Dumas said the video was taken a day after the Chinese Coast Guard allegedly used water cannons to drive away Filipino fishermen.
He said Chinese ships patrolled the area for at least three days.
"Pagbuga nila, nagbiro pa iyung mga mangingisda, ginawa nilang liguan yung tubig," he said.
But the Chinese Foreign Ministry said Filipinos were to blame for the water cannon incident.
It said people on the boats ignored calls to leave and showed provocative behavior.
The ministry even expressed doubts about whether the Filipinos were really in the area to fish, saying its investigation showed otherwise.
"The activities of the relevant Philippine boats showed a strong level of organisation and confrontation, so China has every reason to suspect their real identities and aims," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying.
Fishermen from Infanta, Pangasinan who frequent Scarborough Shoal now worry about their safety.
They claim the Philippine Coast Guard who they rely on for protection are nowhere to be found in the area.
"Bakit hindi kami pinapansin?" said fisherman Carlos Miro.
"Sa atin naman iyun talaga," Dumas said.
The Philippine Coast Guard said it has advised Pangasinan fishermen to stay out of Scarborough Shoal for now while the Chinese and Philippine governments resolve their territorial dispute.
But the fishermen are worried that keeping out of Scarborough Shoal would affect their livelihood. - ANC
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