After strongly condemning China for abandoning 22 Filipino fishermen at sea in Recto Bank on June 9, Defense Chief Delfin Lorenzana is now saying that sinking of the fishing vessel could just be an accident.
“I think this is just an accident. Based on some of the information that we gathered from some of the crew, this is just an accident,” Lorenzana said in a press conference.
The boat’s cook, Richard Blaza said he was not a sure if the Chinese vessel intentionally hit their boat.
“Siguro hindi lang sinasadya ng kabila na masagi niya. Yun lang, hindi tinulungan,” Blaza said.
Lorenzana said that his change of heart was brought by new information during the investigation of the ramming incident.
Predient Rodrigo Durerte already described the unfortunate event as “little maritime accident.”
