Fishermen from Infanta town in Pangasinan province said they were bullied into sharing their catch with members of the Chinese Coast Guard during a fishing trip to the disputed Panatag Shoal in the West Philippine Sea. Jowe Legaspi, council member of Barangay Cato in Infanta, said fishermen from his village had reported to him that the Chinese boarded their boats and asked for a share of their catch. He said the fishermen had no choice but to give in for fear they would again be driven out of the shoal, a rich fishing ground. However, other fishermen said they had been bartering goods with the Chinese and stories of bullying might have risen due to a misunderstanding, said Charlito Maniago, Barangay Cato chief.

Cardinoza, G. (2017, June 2). ‘Bullying,’ friendly encounters at Panatag. Philippine Daily Inquirer, p. A19.