South China Sea: Philippines warns against arrest of its fishermen under Beijing’s ‘trespassing’ law

Philippine Navy spokesman Commodore Roy Trinidad told reporters on Wednesday that China’s move – set to take effect on June 15 – was “unacceptable” and Manila had contingency plans to counter its actions.

“Not only the Philippine Navy but the entire government and nation will not allow this arrest, based on the pronouncement of our commander-in-chief that this is totally unacceptable,” Trinidad warned, referring to a directive by President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr. He did not elaborate on what the contingency plans might be.

On Monday, the Philippines called on China to let international investigators examine Scarborough Shoal after it accused Beijing of damaging coral reefs in the area as part of reclamation plans.

In 2012, China seized control of the Scarborough Shoal, a traditional fishing ground within the 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone of the Philippines, after a two-month stand-off with the Philippine Navy.

Following a meeting of the Senate Committee on National Defence and Security, Peace, Unification and Reconciliation on Wednesday, a senior official from the Department of Justice said Manila could file a diplomatic protest against China’s latest coastguard policy.

“Once we confirm that the provisions are indeed a violation of international law including the arbitral award because, for example, that is our exclusive economic zone, they should not arrest our fishermen when they go to Scarborough Shoal. That is their traditional fishing ground … And so we can file a diplomatic protest,” said the department’s Senior State Counsel Fretti Ganchoon.

According to Ganchoon, China could face legal repercussions if it enacts regulations that violate international law or impact other nations.

China claims most of the