Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. insisted China should pay for the giant clams they have been harvesting from Panatag Shoal, a territory within Philippines exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
Nonetheless, Locsin pointed out that there’s no need to go to war over clams which according to him “are just fucking food.”
“I am not going down in history as a clam defender, okay? It’s a complaint; we’re looking into it; but these are just fucking food; no one goes to war for clams (maybe Oysters of Locquemariaquer) but they just happen to be our food. They should pay for them like in fish market,” Locsin said in a tweet.
Locsin said they are alreay looking into the complaint of fisherman have reportedly been witnessing the Chinese harvesting giant clams for years.
Earlier, Malacañang considered the harvesting of Chinese vessels of giant clams in the Scarborough or Panatag Shoal as violation to Philippines territory and sovereignty.
“Siyempre (of course), natural because if it’s our territory, therefore it is an affront to our territory and to our sovereignty,†Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a Palace briefing.
