By Martin Sadongdong A maritime law expert condemned on Monday Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo for saying that the reported harassment of a Chinese vessel of a Liberian ship manned by an all-Filipino crew "does not concern" the Philippine government. University of the Philippines (UP) Professor and maritime expert Dr. Jay Batongbacal (IISD / MANILA BULLETIN) Jay Batongbacal, director of the University of the Philippines (UP) Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea, said the apparent silence of the government on China's assertion of jurisdiction against the Greek-owned crude oil tanker "Green Aura" "is effectively a sign of acquiescence to such jurisdiction before such third party, and in this case, due to publicity, effectively before the whole world." "This is like saying PH is not concerned that CN exercises jurisdiction over Scarborough against any other State. It's like a person not caring that his house is being managed by someone else who claims to be the owner, and makes other people recognize he is the real owner," Batongbacal stressed. Green Aura captain Manolo Ebora said they were transiting from Nongyao, Thailand to Longkou, China when they steered the commercial ship near Scarborough Shoal off Masinloc, Zambales last September 30, 2019. However, their transit was hampered when a Chinese vessel, which introduced itself as a "Chinese naval warship," commanded them to alter their course as they were supposedly in Chinese waters, he added. Reacting to the incident, Panelo said: "It does not concern us because it's not a Philippine vessel." "Even if it is a Greek vessel, it should be our concern because PH relies on foreign-flagged vessels for international trade," Batongbacal pointed out. He added that the country's international trade is being carried by foreign ships, like the flagged Green Aura, and only 101 ships are currently registered with the Philippine flag. "The freedom of the seas, including seamless navigation through all maritime zone, is a concern of all maritime trading nations, especially an archipelagic state like the PH. CN's actions undermine this freedom, and thus over the long term, threatens PH maritime interests," Batongbacal warned. Earlier, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana urged the Chinese government and all other countries to respect the freedom of navigation and principle of innocent passage in the West Philippine Sea. However, he added that the incident "should not be blown out of proportion or sensationalized" since Green Aura "was able to safely reach its intended port of destination unimpeded."