OCCIDENTAL MINDORO, Philippines – The mayor of San Jose town here, the home port of the 22-person crew of the sunken Philippine fishing boat Gem-Ver, is demanding action from President Rodrigo Duterte and the national government.

The Gem-Ver was rammed from the rear by a Chinese ship on June 9 while it was anchored near Recto Bank in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea). The errant ship then left, leaving the 22 Filipinos in the open seas. 

San Jose Mayor Romulo Festin said there was no need to go to war. Speaking out would be enough.

“Ipakita natin ‘yung ating muscle. May muscle din tayo kahit sa bibig. Kung wala man tayong muscle sa giyera eh sa bunganga man lang at sa tinatawag na proper court kung saan dapat dalhin ‘yan,” Festin said Friday, June 14.

(Let’s show our muscle. We also have muscles in our mouth, even if we don’t have muscles for war. Let’s at least use those in our mouth and bring this to the proper court where it should be brought.)

While he had heard of a statement from Malacañang, Festin said he was still waiting for President Duterte himself to speak out. (READ: 3 speeches in a row, Duterte silent on Chinese ship sinking PH vessel)

WATCH: San Jose, Occidental Mindoro Mayor Festin calls on Duterte gov’t to show "muscle in their mouths" if not "muscle in the military" in fighting for sovereign rights in the West PH Sea. pic.twitter.com/oZSOmcamP7

— Rambo Talabong (@ramboreports) June 14, 2019

Mayor Festin spoke to reporters while aboard the Philippine Navy’s BRP Tausug, which was sent here Thursday, June 13, to fetch the crew of Gem-Ver. 

The men of the Gem-Ver were “left to the elements” after the incident, according to the Navy, before a Vietnamese fishing vessel came to their rescue. (READ: AFP: Chinese vessel’s sinking of PH boat ‘far from accidental’)

“Sana ‘wag mapabayaan itong kaso na ito, at saka gawing transparent para ang lahat ng mga concerned dito – lahat ng mga Pilipino concerned eh – para maintindihan at walang agam-agam,” the mayor said.

(I hope this incident won’t be neglected. And I hope our government will be transparent about this for all the people concerned here – all Filipinos are actually concerned – so that there won’t be any doubts.) – Rappler.com

Read stories related to the incident:

• Chinese vessel sinks Philippine boat in West PH Sea ‘collision’
• Sinking of Filipino vessel ‘a first’ in Philippines-China row
• TIMELINE: Skirmishes, standoffs, harassment in West Philippine Sea
• Hold China accountable, Del Rosario says after sinking of PH boat
• AFP: Chinese vessel’s sinking of PH boat ‘far from accidental’
• Panelo says possible for PH to cut ties with China over boat sinking
• Locsin hits ‘collision’ of Philippine, Chinese vessels
• Locsin on PH boat sinking: ‘Fuck the international community’
• Philippines asks China to sanction Chinese crew of vessel in collision
• LOOK: Philippine fishing boat sunk by Chinese vessel in West PH Sea
• ‘Not a friend’: Netizens hit China over sinking of Philippine boat
• Owner of PH boat sunk by Chinese ship: ‘I only ask for justice’
• Lorenzana now unsure if Chinese vessel sank Philippine boat
• China calls sinking of Philippine boat an ‘ordinary maritime accident’
• WATCH: How alleged Chinese ship sank Filipino fishing vessel in West PH Sea
• 3 speeches in a row, Duterte silent on Chinese ship sinking PH vessel
• China envoy vows probe into Philippine boat sinking
• WATCH: Crew of Philippine vessel rammed by Chinese ship on their way home
• Occidental Mindoro town mayor to Duterte: Let’s speak out against China
• Navy rebuffs China: PH boat sinking ‘not normal accident’
• Lacson, De Lima call for punitive action vs China and its fishermen
• Wives wait in limbo for fishermen of sunken vessel to come home
• Captain of abandoned PH boat: I’m sure Chinese ship sank us