President Benigno Aquino III has yet to issue any instructions on the report he received earlier this week about the incident wherein a Taiwanese fisherman died on May 9 during an encounter involving the Philippine Coast Guard.
“Let’s just wait. Everyone is anticipating what the results will be. At this point we have not received any instructions apart from confirming that the report has been submitted to the Office of the President,” Deputy presidential spokespersons Abigail Valte said on government-run dzRB radio.
Earlier this week, the National Bureau of Investigation’s final report on the May 9 incident was submitted to Malacañang, more than a month after the encounter between a Philippine fisheries surveillance ship and a Taiwanese fishing vessel.
A Taiwanese fisherman was shot dead in the incident, prompting Taiwan to demand an apology from the Philippine government.
Taiwan has frozen the hiring of new labor from the Philippines, and issued a travel alert discouraging travel to the Philippines.
The tension has since eased somewhat after a parallel investigation of the incident by both sides. — ELR, GMA News
