Zambales fisherfolk urge probe into alleged Chinese funds tied to Sara
MANILA, Philippines — Fisherfolk from Zambales on Saturday urged the Senate impeachment court to thoroughly investigate the alleged Chinese funds received by a company linked to Vice President Sara Duterte and her husband.
In a manifesto titled “Panawagan ng mga Mangingisda ng Zambales,” the local fishermen raised concerns over the allegations against Duterte involving Chinese-linked businesses that unfolded during her Senate impeachment hearing.
READ: Barbers: Are alleged funds from China for destabilization?
Particularly, the P319 million in remittances from China and Hongkong to a company associated with the Duterte family.
“Have we been sold to China?” they asked in Filipino.
They decried that ongoing territorial dispute with China over the West Philippine Sea had already deprived them of livelihood as some are forced to travel farther from the disputed waters, spend more on fuel, and return home with little-to-no catch for their families.
“We are not lawyers. We also don’t understand everything being discussed in the impeachment trial,” they said. “But we understand what is at stake.”
The local fishermen then called on the Senate impeachment court to scrutinize the presented evidence to determine if an official did accept favors from China in exchange for the country’s rights in the WPS.
“If any official accepted money or a favor in exchange for abandoning the Philippines’ rights in the West Philippine Sea, they must be held accountable under the law,” they stated.
They stressed that their call is not an attack against a certain political camp, but to shed light on the truth and hold those individuals proven guilty accountable.
“What matters is determining whether anyone betrayed the trust reposed in them by the Filipino people, and if so, holding them accountable,” they emphasized.
They further appealed to the government’s support to protect Filipino fishermen operating along the WPS and to provide affected coastal communities with adequate livelihood assistance.
The fishermen emphasized that they do not seek confrontation or war with China, but, “We just want to fish peacefully in our own waters.”
“The sea is our life. Fishing is our livelihood. And the Philippines’ right to the West Philippine Sea is also the right of our children and of future generations,” they expressed.
The manifesto was received by Zambales Reps. Jefferson “Jay” F. Khonghun (First District) and Doris “Bing” E. Maniquiz (Second District).
READ: READ: VP Duterte camp disputes AMLC confirmation of China funds to Carpio firm
The Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) during the 33rd day of the impeachment proceedings disclosed that P319 million in funds from the Chinese government and China-based corporations was transferred to a banana chip company owned by Duterte’s husband, Manases Carpio.
The camp of the Vice President only disputed the allegations, further asserting that the AMLC only revealed that Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, who presented the same figures at his press conference, illegally obtained the records. /das
The post Zambales fisherfolk urge probe into alleged Chinese funds tied to Sara appeared first on Inquirer.net.