Rappler's latest stories on Recto Bank
Duterte officials finally aid Gem-Ver fishermen vs Chinese ship owner
12 months and 13 days after Filipino fishermen were left floating at sea, Philippine officials say they will reach out to the owners and crew of fishing boat Gem-Ver to help them claim damages for the sinking of their vessel
A year later, Gem-Ver fishermen still unpaid by Chinese ship owner
'Kung aasa naman kami sa ayuda, kailan pa po?' asks Gem-Ver owner Fe dela Torre
PH boat Gem-Ver returns to West Philippine Sea
Still reeling from the tragedy, the fishermen return to Recto Bank as it is the only way they can make a living
[EDITORIAL] Ilang beses bang inabandona ang mangingisda ng Gem-Ver? Paulit-ulit
The Gem-Ver fishermen were abandoned many times, once at sea, but over and over in politics and government positions taken
PH boat sunk by Chinese sailing again to Recto Bank
(UPDATED) After 5 months of waiting, the fishermen of Gem-Ver say they are ready to return to the site where they almost died in June
Intentional? Chinese ship in Recto Bank incident 'explicitly connected' to Beijing
The Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative says its new findings strongly suggest that the Chinese ship does not operate solely as a commercial fishing ship and 'raises the question of whether the collision with the Gem-Ver was intentional'
Senators want Chinese ship owner to pay damages to Gem-Ver fishermen
Senator Francis Pangilinan welcomes the apology, but does not think it should be taken as a matter of fact. The apology calls Reed Bank part of the Nansha Island Group.
Recto Bank incident on 'cusp of closure,' says PH envoy to China
Ambassador Jose Santiago Sta Romana says while the apology is a 'breakthrough,' compensation for the aggrieved 22 fishermen of Gem-Ver is still subject to more discussions and negotiations
Gem-Ver owner, fishermen unsatisfied with China ship owner's apology
'Paano na 'yung danyos perwisyo nila sa aming mga mangingisda? At lalong-lalo na po sa may-ari ng bangka?' says Bannie Condeza, one of Gem-Ver's fishermen
Philippines accepts apology of Chinese ship owner
The Philippines welcomes the acknowledgment that compensation must be provided to the owner of Filipino fishing boat Gem-Ver
Carpio corrects China ship owner's apology: Recto Bank not part of Spratlys
Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio says Recto Bank is within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone, 'beyond the territorial sea of any island in the Spratlys'
PODCAST: Gem-Ver: The men, the crash, the journey home
It's been 2 months since a Chinese trawler rammed a Filipino fishing boat in the West Philippine Sea. In this podcast, Rappler revisits that harrowing night, and more.
36% of Filipinos want Chinese in Recto Bank incident sanctioned – Pulse Asia
Moreover, 26% of Filipinos believe China itself must also pay for the injuries suffered by the Filipino crew and damage done to their fishing boat, according to the latest Pulse Asia survey
More Filipinos distrust China after Recto Bank incident – survey
China's overall trust rating among Filipinos sank by 13 percentage points after the incident between a Filipino boat and a Chinese ship in the waters off Palawan
Malaysia, Vietnam show PH can stand up to China
'When claimants stand up for themselves and refuse to be intimidated, Beijing most often backs down rather than uses force,' says Gregory Poling of the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative
Carpio: Duterte ‘fishing deal’ with China must go through Senate scrutiny
Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio says the Senate must find out exactly what the supposed verbal agreement between Manila and Beijing entails, and whether it falls within Philippine law
[OPINION] Thanks for all the (inedible) fish
'Right now it feels like someone declared open house for strangers to make this country their home – without ground rules,' asserts Chinese-Filipino Anna Gamboa
Despite Duterte, Gem-Ver fishermen buckle down to work
The fishermen come home but government disowns their narrative about what happened at Recto Bank and gives away bare boats. They prepare to sail again in dangerous waters.
[OPINION] An ode to a fisherman whom I have forsaken
Chinese-Filipino Jeffrey P. Yap assures his fellow Filipinos that he is on the same boat, and is equally proud to wear a shirt with 'West Philippine Sea' printed on it
[OPINION] Finding the middle ground with the Middle Kingdom
'We were born in the Philippines, grew up in the Philippines, live, work, and love in the Philippines. The Philippines is our home,' says Chinese-Filipino Freddie Tan
WATCH: Gem-Ver fishermen eager to sail again
On the shores of Occidental Mindoro, the fishermen of Gem-Ver try to rebuild their damaged boat so they could set out to sail once again
THE SINKING OF GEM-VER: Barko! May babanggang barko!
From out of the blue, a metal vessel smashes a Filipino fishing boat anchored at Reed Bank, the impact sounding like a hundred bones breaking. This must be death, say the fishermen.
PH to sue Chinese ship crew in local courts if China fails to penalize them
Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo says the Philippines can file a case on 'reckless imprudence resulting to serious damage of property' against the captain and crew of the Chinese ship that hit F/B Gem-Ver
Panelo sees no contradiction between PCG-Marina report, Duterte
Philippine Coast Guard and Marina investigators conclude the Recto Bank incident was a 'serious marine casualty' while President Rodrigo Duterte previously calls it a 'little maritime accident'
Justice Carpio: Deal with China to fish in Reed Bank 'lopsided' against PH
Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio calls on the government to reject President Rodrigo Duterte's so-called verbal deal with Xi Jinping to let China fish in the Reed Bank
China rejects third party in Recto Bank joint probe – Panelo
Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo says the Philippines will still 'suggest' the inclusion of a neutral country in the joint inquiry, if China and the Philippines have conflicting findings on the Recto Bank incident
[OPINION] The sublime and unfathomable wisdom of Rodrigo Duterte
The key to understanding President Duterte’s gospel has been there all along, hiding in plain sight as though to mock imperceptive doubters like us: 'We are friends with China.'
[OPINION] A facade of smiles over the Recto Bank incident
From within the government's ranks, all is definitely not well with President Duterte’s pro-Beijing policy
Passport for fishes? Netizens poke fun at Sotto's fish remark
Netizens reimagine a world where fishes have citizenship, passports, and names more representative of their country of origin using memes
Recto Bank incident taints Duterte's nationalist image – analyst
'If we're just exchanging one possible exploiter with another, that doesn't really bode well for his nationalist image,' says political science expert Aries Arugay
'Thoughtless, senseless' to insist on mandate protecting PH waters – Duterte
President Rodrigo Duterte also dares critics to impeach him: 'Kulungin ko silang lahat'
Panelo says Duterte can't be impeached over PH fishing rights
'You cannot stop the President from doing measures or steps that, to his mind, are the correct way to obey the constitutional command to him to protect and serve the Filipino people,' says Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo
Robredo refutes Duterte: EEZ is for 'exclusive use of Filipinos'
Vice President Leni Robredo says it is unconstitutional to allow China to fish within the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone
Supreme Court applicants: Duterte can allow China to fish in PH waters
Two Court of Appeals justices use an argument mostly used by the Supreme Court itself in past decisions that upheld Duterte policies: presidential discretion
Duterte to Gem-Ver fishermen: 'Sorry, that's how it is'
His remarks take on the tone of his previous statements on the incident, where he downplayed it as a 'little maritime incident' and possibly an 'accident'
BFAR hopes to get more financial support after Recto Bank incident
Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Director Eduardo Gongona hopes the incident at Recto Bank will also lead to more funding for the agency
Bayanihan at sea: How fellow Filipinos helped rescue Gem-Ver and its crew
Two crewmen of a local fishing boat that came to Gem-Ver's aid recount the rescue of their lives
Duterte skirts PH sovereign rights in Recto Bank
President Rodrigo Duterte states there was no violation of sovereignty in the Recto Bank incident but fails to assert the country's sovereign rights over the area
Lacson: Duterte's statement on Recto Bank incident 'left us heartbroken'
(3rd UPDATE) 'He forgot to explore all resources available before exercising his last option of surrender,' Senator Panfilo Lacson says of President Rodrigo Duterte's first-ever statement on the Philippine boat sinking in the West Philippine Sea
Lorenzana doubts if PH boat sinking was intentional
'Nabangga nga talaga pero was it intentional or not, mayroon nang doubt ngayon eh kung intentional o hindi,' says Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana
Duterte dismisses PH boat sinking as 'maritime incident'
(3rd UPDATE) President Rodrigo Duterte spares China from criticism in his first statement on the sinking of a Filipino boat by a Chinese ship in the West Philippine Sea
No major decision reached after Duterte execs meet on Recto Bank
The meeting comes as the usually outspoken President Rodrigo Duterte draws flak for his silence on the Recto Bank incident
Batangas-bound ship catches fire near Recto Bank
Car carrier M/V Diamond Highway catches fire near Recto Bank (Reed Bank). Its 25 crew members abandoned ship and are rescued by bulk carrier on its way to Thailand.
[EDITORIAL] #AnimatED: Ang nagpapa-bully, lalong binu-bully!
Nang-hit-and-run, nang-abandona ng malulunod na mangingisda, at nagsinungaling pa
Satellite data show China ship not 'besieged' by Filipino boats
(UPDATED) 'What 7-8 vessel swarm of night-marauding Filipino fishing boats is China talking about?' says maritime law expert Jay Batongbacal
Recto Bank: Why China covets what belongs to the Philippines
Recto Bank is said to contain most of the oil and natural gas in the West Philippine Sea. The Philippines owns it.
Calamian area a ‘confidence-builder’ for joint exploration in Reed Bank – analyst
Calamian is an uncontested area. Any joint exploration with China in the area should be governed by Philippine laws, says Aaron Jed Rabena of the policy think tank Asia-Pacific Pathways to Progress
Sereno won’t resign, Malacañang on joint exploration, Duterte on UN rapporteurs | Evening wRap
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Malacañang: Two areas being considered for joint exploration with China
Service Contracts 57 and 72 are top of mind for Malacañang when it comes to possible joint exploration agreements between Philippine and Chinese corporations
Duterte foreign policy, Anti-Distracted Driving Act, Mike Pence | Evening wRap
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